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Our<a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd/"> Parkinson’s research community</a> got some welcome attention from <a href="https://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/20/158943097/search-for-parkinsons-genes-turns-to-online-social-networking">NPR on Monday</a> just as we are on the cusp of reaching our goal of enrolling 10,000 patients.
The piece featured Emily Drabant, PhD, 23andMe’s research manager for our<a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd/"> Parkinson’s community,</a> and focused on our model of engaging patients as partners in research using online tools and social networking. While this isn’t new for us, some are only now warming to the idea and its potential.
In the NPR piece, Hank Greeley, a Stanford Law School professor, and sometimes critic of direct to consumer genetics testing companies like 23andMe, conceded that there’s power in the ability to tap into online tools for recruitment.
&#8220;[23andMe] may in theory be able to involve 10,000 people with Parkinson&#8217;s disease, and do it cheaply and easily,” Greely told NPR. &#8220;Now that&#8217;s something that academic researchers would love to be able to do.&#8221;
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Participate in research!<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-12404" style="margin-bottom: 10px;" title="Parkinson's disease fight arm" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pd_fist_300px-150x150.png" alt="" width="125" height="125" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pd_fist_300px-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pd_fist_300px-271x271.png 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 125px) 100vw, 125px" />
<div>As a member of 23andMe, you can participate in research simply by taking <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/23andwe/surveys">surveys</a>. If you have Parkinson&#8217;s disease or know someone who does, learn more about joining our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/pd">Parkinson&#8217;s Disease</a> initiative!</div>
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Getting to 10,000 is important because as any researcher will tell you, there is strength in numbers. Drawing from such a large pool of patients gives power to the research.
Having what is already the world’s largest Parkinson’s community for genetic research helped us discover <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/pd_discoveries_plos_62311/">new genetic</a> variants associated with Parkinson’s – including a potentially <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/sgk1/">protective factor</a>.
Parkinson’s is an extremely complex disease. Uncovering more about the role genetics plays in Parkinson’s could provide valuable information about the development of the disease and how to combat it. Last year 23andMe found<a href="http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002141"> two new genetic associations</a> with Parkinson’s and more recently found a genetic variant in the gene<a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/sgk1/"> SGK1</a> that is potentially protective against the disease. With the help of the Michael J. Fox Foundation,<a href="http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20111031/lograsso.html"> the Scripps Research Institute</a> is following up the SGK1 discovery with lab studies that we hope will lead to new treatments.
Check out some of our other recent posts on Parkinson&#8217;s: 
&#8211; <a href="../23andme-research/why-not-participate-one-patients-perspective/">Why Not Participate? One Patient’s Perspective</a>
&#8211; <a href="../23andme-research/23andmes-latest-publication-shines-light-on-male-pattern-baldness-and-unexpected-associations-with-disease/">23andMe’s Latest Publication Shines Light on Male Pattern Baldness and Unexpected Associations with Disease</a>
&#8211; <a href="../news/the-state-of-the-science-of-parkinsons-research/">The State of the Science of Parkinson’s Research</a>

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe’s Parkinson’s Research Featured on NPR

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-15035 size-medium" title="Alyssa photo" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-234x300.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-234x300.jpg 234w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-768x983.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-800x1024.jpg 800w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-687x880.jpg 687w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo-922x1180.jpg 922w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Alyssa-photo.jpg 982w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px" />
This is a guest post from a 23andMe customer, who took a journey to learn about her ancestry.
By Alyssa Gradstein
I took the 23andMe DNA test to find out who I was.
I was adopted and ethnically mixed. I can’t count the number of times in my 30 years I’ve been asked:
“What are you?”
It stung every time someone would decide for themselves what I am. I needed to know who I was and where I came from.
I was fortunate to meet my biological mother but never my biological father, who my biological mother never knew herself. In addition to the common questions regarding health and genetics, I’d always wondered about my biological father’s background. I knew he was African-American, but I wanted to know more about my roots.
Because I’ve always wondered about myself, I often lacked the confidence I see in others who know themselves fully. I believe, to be a complete person, you need to be confident in yourself and who you are before you can be that person for others.
After taking the 23andMe DNA test, I found I was most genetically similar to people who come from Ghana in Africa.
I immediately made the decision to visit. I was totally open to the journey ahead. 
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When I landed in Africa I felt like I’d finally come home.
When I first decided to go, I’d researched different trips and I found an organization I could wholly identify with. I discovered the Happy Kids Foundation.
I am a teacher with a decade of experience. I have always loved helping children find their own voice, their self-esteem. I want them to know how important they are as individuals. As an adopted person, I understand the feelings of neglect. I understand feeling disconnected and what it’s like not knowing your personal history. I understand that these children need extra love and nurturing. That’s why when I went on my personal journey of self-discovery in Africa, I pointed myself toward the Happy Kids Foundation.
Happy Kids was founded in 1995 in order to provide housing and schooling for orphans and underprivileged children in the rural region of Wegbe, Ghana. The month I spent volunteering at Happy Kids was unforgettable. It changed my life, forever.
In Africa, I learned about my culture, what it meant to be a member of a community, and what it felt like to work hard for the people you love. Touring the slave castles there gave me an incredible sense of empowerment and an appreciation for my freedom that I had so often taken for granted.
I am forever grateful to 23andMe. With their help, I was able to find my missing pieces. A few years ago, I didn’t know who I was. 23andMe helped me find my story
Most importantly, when people ask: “What are you?”
I have an answer for them.
23andMe provides genetic testing services for informational purposes; your results may or may not help you to search for or identify relatives or family members.

Alyssa Gradstein

Alyssa’s 23andMe Ancestry Story

You may not think very much about yaks, but Tibetans do.
The domestic yak is crucial for their survival on the harsh Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The yak provides meat, milk and, to the distate of many Western travelers, salty yak-butter tea.  Like the people who domesticated it, the yak is tough, thriving at altitudes and with nutritional restrictions which can kill the common cow.
A recent study of the yak genome sheds light on what makes these beasts so well-suited for their hard lives on the high plateaus. The work, published in a recent issue of Nature Genetics, may also help shed light on how humans adjust to high altitude.
The newly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22751099" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published</a> yak genome is the work of an international team of researchers headed Qiang Qiu and Jianquan Liu at the Lanzhou University in China.  This first draft of the yak genome proved, unsurprisingly, similar to the already-known cattle genome.  Indeed, the average protein similarity between yak and cattle is 99.5%. Genetic analysis of these two genomes suggest that yaks and cattle diverged approximately 4.9 million years ago, which is comparable to the time at which humans and chimps diverged.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" /> What about high-altitude adaptation in humans? Check out this previous Blog<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/breathless-over-new-finding-using-ancient-dna/"> post</a>!
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It is, however, the differences rather than the similarities between yaks and cattle which are most illuminating.  The researchers found that three genes related to hypoxia response were selected for in yaks but not in cattle.  Hypoxia is a condition triggered by low oxygen and is a serious concern for cattle living in high-altitude, low-oxygen environments.  One of the yak hypoxia genes (ADAM17) is particularly interesting because certain mutations in the human version of this gene are more common in high-elevation Tibetans than those living at lower elevations.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" /> Learn about your own genetic traits on 23andMe. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a>.
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In addition to genes involved in hypoxia response, yaks seem especially evolved to deal with nutritional hardships. The researchers found five genes selected for in yaks that help them deal with limited food resources.  These genes help yaks metabolize sugars, fats and proteins as well as regulate the amount of stomach acid produced and perhaps help the yak utilize nitrogen better.
The yak is an adaptive creature, and its genetic differences from cattle help clarify how they manage to live on the harsh, high plateaus. Although more research is needed, the yak and his DNA may eventually provide a window into better understanding high altitude sickness in humans. Now, I’d drink some [yak-butter tea] to that!

Yakking about Yaks

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-15043" title="mark_lg" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mark_lg-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mark_lg-240x300.jpg 240w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mark_lg.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" />
Maybe you always knew you had music in your heart, but 23andMe shows <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/musical-pitch">it’s in your genes</a> too.
Our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry/deep/">new lab,</a> developed by 23andMe’s   Mark Ackerley, gives customers the opportunity to create a unique melody from their DNA.
Mark, a composer trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, developed an algorithm that sorts through bits of your genetic data to create a melody that is totally personal.
“It’s fundamentally different because we look at so many parts of an individual&#8217;s DNA, that the total possible number of melodies is very high,” Mark explains.

Others have used DNA sequences – the chain of As, Cs, Gs and Ts that make up our genetic code – to create musical arrangements. But in those cases the code mostly provids a leaping off point for a composer to write an original tune. What Mark has done is different because the melody isn’t just inspired by your DNA, like you, the melody is created by it. Creation of the tune is fully automated with every note derived from your DNA.
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He did this by breaking down the essential parts of a melody – the pitch, rhythm, key and timbre of a piece of music – and then created an algorithm that uses your 23andMe data to make selections for each of those different components. He created a way to automatically arrange them so that the tool can assemble a coherent and pleasing melody each time.
“By using these guidelines we ensure we won’t get random notes or disjointed melodies,” he said.
It starts by using some of the 50 traits 23andMe reports to customers – height, for instance, or eye color – and assigning a specific rhythmic value based on your specific genotype. Rhythm is the duration of time that a note is held and provides the framework for the melody. The music lab then chooses a key using your assigned maternal haplogroup. So if your maternal haplogroup is H, for instance, it might select the key of C Major. Once the rhythm and key are determined the algorithm selects the pitches using some of the traits 23andMe reports on. Mark included guidelines to ensure that the melodies created abide by certain musical conventions while also keeping it free enough to produce plenty of variety.
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Hear the music in you and create your own DNA Melody. 
Not yet a customer? <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/">Visit our store! </a>
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Once the the melody is complete, you can pick the musical instrument that gives the melody the color or timbre (pronounced tam-bur) that most matches who you are. Mark has tried to give a selection of instruments that represent a variety of preferred sounds, so on top of guitars and pianos you can choose marimbas, or a hammer dulcimer, or steel drum to play the melody.
“We use enough variables to allow for the creation of hundreds of thousands of unique melodies,” Mark said.
For Mark this very personal soundprint – this DNA melody – brings up profound questions about music and people. In every culture since the dawn of man, music has been an integral component of life. Why is it that something that does not provide any basic necessities for survival, so strongly attached to the human experience?
For Mark the answer is simple:
“Music helps us feel connected and reminds us that there are universal qualities in humanity that we all share.”

We Got the Music in You

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-14825" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog-300x270.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="270" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog-300x270.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog.jpg 365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Watching the Olympics, I am awed by the athleticism of the contestants: they compete with strength, skill and coordination that I could hardly dream of possessing. Certainly hard work and determination has played a role in each athlete’s story, but probably good genes have also contributed to their success.
And if <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/muscle-composition">genetics plays a role in human athletics</a>, it plays an even greater role in the success of animal athletes who are bred with performance in mind. Alaskan sled dogs were once just working dogs, but over the years have been carefully bred into a class of elite four-legged athletes.
Heather Huson and Elaine Ostrander from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have lead a team of researchers from the NIH, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the University of California, Irvine to discover what makes a great dog athlete. Using the tools of modern genetics, they have addressed several questions. Are there genetic differences between sprinters and distance racers? Are there genetic differences between the “top dogs” and those that finish second? Their study&#8217;s findings were recently published in Mammaliam Genome. 

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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" /> To date, more than 150 genes have been linked to different aspects of physical performance in humans. One of the clearest associations is seen with a gene called ACTN3 that is normally turned on in a type of muscle fiber used for power-based sports. A single SNP can turn this gene off. 23andMe customers can see their muscle performance report to see if they are more genetically predisposed to be a sprinter or a endurance athlete.
Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learn more</a>.
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Alaskan sled dogs do not belong to one pure breed, but rather are a blend of several different purebred breeds that were combined to optimize for strength, speed, and trainability. Using genetic ancestry analysis, the team of researchers were able to confirm that sprinter and long distance racer dogs have significant differences in their breed blends. Using purebred Alaskan malamute, Siberian huskies, German shorthaired pointers, and borzois for reference, they established that sprinter dogs have a considerably larger dose of German shorthaired pointer ancestry and long-distance race dogs have more Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky ancestry. The authors suggest that dogs with more husky ancestry have more “mental toughness,” a necessity for the long hauls, whereas dogs with more pointer ancestry may be easier to train and are more eager to please and perform.
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Heather Huson: 
Scientist and Sled-Dog Racer 
Heather Huson, one of the leading researchers in this study, is a not only a scientist but also sled dog racing enthusiast.   Having qualified for the US Olympic team twice, she comes at this research with first hand knowledge. You can read more about Huson&#8217;s accomplishments &#8212; both at the bench and on the snow <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CGMQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nih.gov%2Fcatalyst%2F2010%2F10.12.01%2Fcatalyst_v18i6.pdf&amp;ei=CvMfUM2HMa3SiAKKyoDIAg&amp;usg=AFQjCNHZ2VyBKqB3LnwDp-l2FVmil6rb3w">here (downloadable pdf)</a>.
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The researchers also did a genome-wide association study looking for genetic factors that influence heat tolerance in both sprinters and in long-distance racers.  They found that seven SNPs within one gene &#8212; MYH9 &#8212; were associated with the ability to perform well even in the heat. The dog days of summer perhaps don’t feel so hot for these lucky pooches. There is a similar version of this gene in humans, but more research is needed to determine whether variation in this gene affects human heat tolerance.
As we watch the Olympics in London this summer, we won’t see any four-legged friends on the winner’s podium. Nevertheless, Alaskan sled dogs are tremendous athletes, and genetic studies such as this one may offer insights into the amazing athletic talents of those who actually will be on the podium.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-14805 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage.jpg" alt="" width="1981" height="1229" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage.jpg 1981w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-300x186.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-768x476.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-880x546.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-1180x732.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1981px) 100vw, 1981px" />
Alaskan sled dogs are a mixture of many purebred breeds. Generally speaking, the relative amounts of these different breeds varies according the type of racing &#8212; sprinter dogs tend to have more German shorthaired pointer ancestry and long-distance race dogs often have more Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky ancestry.

Canine Olympians

As far as disease names go, cancer appears to be pretty simple. Breast cancer is a cancer of the breast, and prostate cancer is a cancer of the prostate.
Although this naming system describes where cancer starts out, it doesn’t tell us much about where cancer will spread, which drugs (if any) will work, if the patient will have a bad reaction to therapy, or whether the patient is likely to survive cancer.
<h2>Going Deeper</h2>
To understand these questions, we need to drill deeper and analyze the molecular barcode of both the cancer and the host.
Understanding the molecular profile of a cancer cell can help physicians understand which drugs will be effective in treating the cancer.
The underlying code for what the cancer “shows” to the rest of the body and how it will behave in the body depends on the DNA inside the cancer cells. And what’s becoming evident is that cancer is much more complicated than we used to think.
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Changes in DNA Underlie Cancer 
Cancer develops when normal cells in the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably because of “mistakes” in the DNA code. DNA (a copy of which is contained in each cell) contains finely tuned instructions for cell growth and production, but as cells copy and pass on this DNA they sometimes make mistakes. These mistakes are technically called “mutations” and cause the DNA to be slightly different from the original.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-14832 size-medium" title="Somatic mutation" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-300x149.png" alt="" width="300" height="149" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-300x149.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-768x381.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation.png 807w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The mutations that make cells grow too much and thereby cause cancer arise in the course of a person’s lifetime (as opposed to being a change in the DNA that the person is born with) and are called “somatic” mutations.
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<h2>Subtypes</h2>
Under each cancer umbrella, there are actually many different rare diseases. Take breast cancer as an example. By most accounts there are four<a href="http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/SubtypesofBreastCancer.html"> established subtypes</a>, defined based on how the cancer “looks”, both as you would view it under a microscope and on the molecular level.
For instance, a “HER2+” cancer displays the “Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2” (HER2) molecule on its surface but doesn’t display the estrogen receptor (ER) or progesterone receptor (PR), molecules that catch certain hormones as they pass by.
Cancers overexpressing HER2 can be treated with specific drugs targeting the HER2 molecule. But if breast cancer is triple negative, meaning it doesn’t display any of these three receptors (HER, ER, or PR), then drugs that target these molecules won’t be effective against the cancer.
<h2>Genetics Informed Clinical Trials</h2>
The DNA that someone is born with differs in various places from person to person (so-called “germline” variation) and can also impact the course of treatment.
Most clinical trials performed today do not incorporate genetic testing into the trial&#8217;s design. When they discover that some trial participants react poorly while others are super responders, they look to data points such as age, other diseases the patient is suffering from, or medications he or she is taking. But the explanation may lie deep down in the DNA &#8212; subtle differences in the barcode might be enough for some trial participants to develop an adverse reaction while other people taking the drug derive benefit without harm.
Scientists are now learning more about different cancers by characterizing the mutations driving the tumor and a person&#8217;s unique variants that he or she was born with. The course of cancer depends on both the signature of the tumor, something that stems from you but takes on its own life, and you – the host – a necessary participant in the fight against cancer.

The Molecular Barcode of Cancer – Targeting Treatment to Patient

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Many expensive clinical trials fail because the therapy causes harmful side effects in some or all participants or the drug isn’t effective across the board. Genetics may explain differences in response, but as of today DNA testing isn’t a standard part of clinical trials.
Integrating genetic testing into clinical trials should make it easier to determine why certain people benefit from a drug while others don’t. As the price of genetic testing drops, adding a simple test into an otherwise expensive and long process may also make the trial more efficient. Throw the Internet and other new technologies into the mix and speed and efficiency is further maximized.
The scenario goes something like this. A potential participant finds out about a trial through his or her doctor or online – anyone interested could receive alerts when a suitable trial opens. It’s been said that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trial#Length">biggest barrier</a> to study completion is the shortage of people who take part and technology should be able to change this. Eligibility is confirmed by going to the trial website and answering a few simple questions.
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About Clinical Trials
The goal of a clinical trial is to determine if a drug or other health intervention is efficacious and/or causes harmful side effects. Trials help ensure that only safe therapeutics are brought to market. Unfortunately this doesn’t always turn out to be the case since a number of drugs still end up being taken off the market after gaining FDA approval. For pharmaceutical companies, clinical trials are both expensive and time consuming. They cost anywhere between <a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">100 </a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">and</a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials"> 800 </a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">million</a> and take roughly <a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">five </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">to</a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html"> nine</a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html"> years</a> to complete once a drug enters Phase I testing in human subjects. The big kicker is that only <a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">one </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">in </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">five </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">drugs</a> end up with the stamp of approval – the rest fail at a high price tag.
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The drug is administered to the patient through a physician, but instead of it being up to the physician to ensure compliance and gather outcomes, technology follows up. Participants receive text messages or email reminders to take the medication and are also asked how they’re feeling to see if the drug is affecting their quality of life. In addition to gathering data about survival, anti-cancer response and adverse events, it’s becoming increasingly important to find out if a therapy impacts quality of life.
Genetic data is collected easily with a saliva-based test – it’s mailed directly to the participant’s home, he or she spits, and then the test is popped back in the mail. When it comes time to analyze the results of the trial, the genetic information is layered upon other data points that are already routinely collected such as age, other diseases the person has, and life expectancy. Scientists look for possible associations between side effects and genetic factors while controlling for a myriad of other factors.
23andMe is already incorporating these ideas – utilizing technology and carrying out DNA testing – into drug studies. Our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite study </a>with <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/index.jsp">Genentech</a> is aimed at understanding how genes influence response to treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Participants find out about InVite through advocacy groups, social media sites, or their physician and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">enroll in the study online</a>. They receive a saliva-based test in the mail and fill out online surveys about their experience taking bevacizumab, also known as <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/products/information/oncology/avastin/">Avastin ®</a>. This drug is currently not approved by the FDA for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. 23andMe is actively recruiting participants and hopes to determine if a person’s genes could play a role in response to bevacizumab. Participants are not expected to directly benefit from this study.
(Women who began taking bevacizumab on or before December 31, 2011 are eligible for this study – see below for details.)
The example in this post represents a glimpse into the future of clinical trials, but also highlights the challenges ahead – therapies need to be targeted to the right people, technologies need to be tailored for data collection and genetic testing needs to be incorporated up front. With these changes trials should yield faster answers and won’t require as many participants. But the final goal is to arrive in a world of <a href="http://connection.asco.org/Commentary/Article/id/3130/Personalized-Oncology-Care-The-Patient-as-well-as-the-Tumor.aspx">tailored therapy</a> – where therapies are targeted based on the characteristics of both the disease and the individual patient to maximize the chances for success.
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Research on the Genetics of Response to Treatment for Breast Cancer 
23andMe and <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/index.jsp">Genentech</a> launched the InVite Study to understand how genes influence response to treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Visit<a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/"> https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/</a> or email invite-study@23andme.com for more information.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-12590" title="InVite Logo" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png" alt="" width="610" height="221" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png 826w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-768x277.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px" />
Potential findings of this study may help to determine if a person’s genes could play a role in how they respond to Avastin .
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Incorporating Technology and DNA Testing into Clinical Trials

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-14534" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-214x300.jpg" width="214" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-214x300.jpg 214w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-768x1075.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-629x880.jpg 629w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-731x1024.jpg 731w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-843x1180.jpg 843w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-scaled.jpg 1828w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px" />
Editors note June 2013: Suzan &#8220;Suzie&#8221; Mickey lost her battle with cancer earlier this month. An advocate for better treatments for women with metastatic breast cancer, Suzie inspired many with her attitude. Our condolences go out to her family.
Positive, helpful, and upbeat. These aren’t words you would expect to describe someone about to start another round of chemo treatment. However, in the case of Suzan Mickey, they are very apt. Mickey is a participant in the 23andMe and Genentech <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite</a> study on bevacizumab (also known as Avastin ®) and metastatic breast cancer. &nbsp;(Avastin ® is not approved by the FDA for treatment of breast cancer.) &nbsp;
A forty-five-year-old wife and mother of two pre-teen kids, Mickey has many interests, including an unusual predilection for antiques. Finding beauty in a broken and neglected piece of furniture, she says, is a metaphor for finding hope within a devastating diagnosis. &nbsp;Where many people would just see the peeling paint on an old cupboard, Mickey sees opportunity; where many people would see only the bleakness of cancer, Mickey sees blessings.
“I have to live my remaining days with cancer, and I am choosing to see the blessings that come with it as opposed to being focused on the challenges,” she said. “Although my diagnosis is not something I would wish for anyone, it has brought with it many incredible gifts. The love and support I have received from family and friends is humbling. I now focus my time engaged with those that I love, and I never hesitate to experience something new. &nbsp;The little things really do not matter&#8230;spending time with those that you love absolutely does.”
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" width="24" height="40"> If you have taken bevacizumab as a breast cancer treatment in the past, you may be eligible to participate in the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">InVite Study</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12590" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png" width="300" height="108" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-768x277.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png 826w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Furthermore, all 23andMe customers can participate in other scientific research through 23andMe&#8217;s research <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/23andwe/surveys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">surveys</a>. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learn more</a>.
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Given Mickey’s ability to see opportunity in even the hardest situations, it isn’t surprising that she is helping cancer research. Despite having stage 4 breast cancer, Mickey is cheerful and wants to help other women fighting breast cancer. Mickey joined the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite study</a> &nbsp;because she was interested in helping researchers learn more about &nbsp; bevacizumab and if genetics played a role in how &nbsp; patients responded to treatment.
Although genetics may be one contributing factor to treatment response, Mickey and her doctors believe that the healthy diet she adopted may have also played an important role in her response. After researching the impact of nutrition on chemo treatment response, she switched to a diet with no animal proteins, no dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugar, and instead ate lots of whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies that are high in fiber. Mickey even studied at the <a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Institute</a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/"> of </a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Integrative </a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Nutrition</a> in order to become a holistic health coach, hoping to share this important nutrition information with other women facing chemo. Being diagnosed with cancer, she said, feels like the world is spinning out of control. Mickey believes that the foods she ate allowed her to stay strong and produce less estrogen, creating an optimal environment within her body which she feels gave the medicines their best chance at success. Thus, regardless of one’s genetic makeup, she sees a healthy diet as one positive way to take control.
In addition to encouraging good nutrition, Mickey says that she encourages other women diagnosed with breast cancer not to fear. &nbsp;And certainly, with her cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and concern for others, Suzan Mickey is living proof that a life with breast cancer can instead be a life of strength and hope.

An Active Participant in Breast Cancer Research and in Life

Over the last week 23andMe customers got a different view of their ancestry.


Since we launched our new<a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/ancestry/"> Ancestry Overview</a>, customers now get a quick and comprehensive summary of what their DNA tells them about themselves and their ancestors.


This new dashboard summary gives you a quick outline of where your ancestors likely came from, the number of relatives you’re matched with in our database and how closely they’re related to you, as well as other hard to find ancestry gems like our Neanderthal Lab or the just added feature that tracks the top surnames for your Relative Finder matches.
These changes help you dig deeper into your ancestry by giving you more tools and making the ones we already have easier to use.
For example, our very popular Relative Finder tool now includes a turbo-charged upgrade that displays your matches on a world map.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14614" title="RF Map" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map-300x181.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="181" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map-300x181.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map.jpg 526w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
It’s not just a cool visualization; it’s also incredibly helpful for anyone on a genealogical hunt for ancestors. It can help you focus your search and triangulate between multiple sources of information by showing where in the world your relatives cluster.
You can also filter the results by how closely related to you the matches are. Beyond that it’s just a great way of telling you more about your family history, where you and your family are from and the places where your connections remain.
Another new feature we’ve added, but are still testing, is a Family Tree. The Family Tree is easy to share with others and offers customers a way to track a lot of family facts beyond just dates, such as major life events, occupation and health information.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14629" title="family tree form" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form-300x172.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="172" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form-300x172.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form.jpg 498w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Because it’s sharable you don’t have to just rely on your work, but can pool the collective wisdom of your family members to fill in blanks in your tree.
Customers who’ve already done the work of creating a family tree elsewhere can import their GEDCOM data into 23andMe’s Family Tool. There is more to come. A few of our scientists are putting the final touches on a new Ancestry Painting analysis, which we believe will provide the most accurate breakdown of your genetic ancestry now being offered anywhere.
Our new Ancestry Painting will soon draw from approximately 20 different world regions, creating much finer detail of your genetic ancestry and a break down of European ancestry as well as a clear differentiation between Native American and Asian ancestry. We’ll keep you posted on when this new tool is ready.
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Take a look at your ancestry overview<a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/ancestry/"> here</a>. Not yet a customer? <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/">Visit our store!</a>
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Latest Posts — Page 148