Hoping to improve representation in national news coverage, 23andMe joined with seven other companies as a Founding Partner to assist in the launch of iHeartMedia’s BIN: <a href="https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/bin-black-information-network-launches-today-first-its-kind-247-national-and-local-all-news">Black Information Network</a>.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/image001.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-28329" width="300" height="292" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/image001.jpg 319w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/image001-300x292.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
 
The new 24 hour-a-day national and local news audio service will be dedicated to offering objective, accurate, and trusted news that highlights the voice and perspective of Black communities across the country. Launched this week, the service is distributed nationally through the iHeartRadio digital service; locally via dedicated all-news AM/FM broadcast radio stations in 15 markets, with additional markets to be added in the next 60 days; and BIN will also provide the news service for iHeartMedia’s 91 Hip Hop, R&amp;B, and Gospel music stations nationally.
 
23andMe joined as a Founding Partner with seven other companies including Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s, Sony, and Verizon, to help launch the new network.  
 
“23andMe is honored to be part of this important iHeart initiative, giving the Black community a strong, informed voice and providing those outside the community with a deeper understanding of our societal issues,” said Anne Wojcicki, CEO, and Co-Founder of 23andMe. “This is the first step in a long journey to continually hold ourselves accountable and be part of changing the future.”  
 
In<a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter"> an open letter</a> in early June, Anne said that as a leader she felt a deeper responsibility to make meaningful changes to improve inclusion and equity not just within the company and its product, but within society. Adding that she was holding both herself and the company accountable to make impactful changes. This is just one of many endeavors the company is becoming involved with to follow through with that commitment.
 
Under the leadership of Tony Coles, BIN will leverage the resources, assets, and financial support of iHeartMedia with the goal of filling a void in coverage by and for the Black community. Coles has more than 35 years’ experience in the radio industry, from on-air to programming and management, with a strong record of success and team-building. Coles currently serves as Executive Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia’s West Region. 
 
“BIN: Black Information Network will fill a void by providing continual news and objective information with full focus on the Black community,” said Coles. “We began developing our 24/7 Black news source last year, and events of the last few weeks, especially the senseless and tragic death of George Floyd, highlighted the need for this network. Now is the time for our voice to be heard, and I could not be more proud of our work and the team we are assembling at BIN.”
 
A recent study by iHeartMedia of Black listeners found that 86 percent believe a service like BIN is necessary and are likely to use it as an important news source, and 83 percent think BIN could offer a key service and important information they can’t get on radio or TV today. 
 
“As a brand, we are in a unique time and position to make sure our marketing is doing more than just selling our product, but that it’s focused on values,” said Tracy Keim, Vice President of Consumer Marketing &amp; Brand at 23andMe. “We have the opportunity to create content that can better humanity. iHeart’s Black Information Network is the first of its kind to take a stand on creating a trusted news source to address the importance of building toward lasting change.”
&nbsp;
The business will be enabled and supported by the full resources of iHeartMedia. In addition, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) will also be a local marketing partner.
&nbsp;
To find out more about BIN programming, visit <a href="https://www.binnews.com/">BINNews.com</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe Becomes a Founding Partner For First and Only 24/7 All-News Audio Service Dedicated To The Black Community

By Jey McCreight Ph.D., Science Communication Senior Program Manager at 23andMe



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="157" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-300x157.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28324" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Pride-Post-3-blog-1180x618.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



Pride month is a time to celebrate the love that’s in all our DNA, regardless of someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. But even though we are all 99.5 percent genetically identical, we still aren’t treated 100 percent equally.



Here at 23andMe, we’re constantly thinking about how we can make our product, research, and workplace more equitable for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-product">In Product</h2>



First, our Product team is actively looking into how we can improve the experience for transgender and non-binary customers. For example, the team is working to separate the concepts of biological sex from gender identity. This will not only be more scientifically accurate but will also provide a better experience for our transgender and non-binary customers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-sex">What is sex?</h2>



A person’s biological sex is usually classified at birth based on their external genitalia. However, a person’s sex is not just determined by their external anatomy. It is also determined by chromosomes, hormones, internal reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics.



Many people think that sex is binary, but it is often not that simple. At least one in 1,500 births are intersex, meaning that a person’s anatomy and/or their chromosomes can&#8217;t be classified as typically male or female.<a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> This is a conservative estimate, as many people do not realize they are intersex until later in life. Some never find out. How society defines “male,” “female,” and “intersex” is heavily driven by culture and social norms of the day, and not simply by biological traits.



Even chromosomal sex is not binary. While most women have two X chromosomes and most men have an X and a Y, this is not always the case. People can have a single X chromosome, three X chromosomes, two Xs and one Y, and a whole suite of other possibilities.<a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a> Some women are XY but have a broken or deleted copy of the SRY gene, which is key for developing into a male. Likewise, some men are XX but have a translocated copy of SRY, which induces male development.



Because some of our reports involve the X and Y chromosomes, we need to know a customer’s chromosomal sex. However, sex is not the same as gender.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-gender-identity">What is gender identity?</h2>



Gender identity is “a person’s internal, deeply held sense of their gender.”<a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a> Many people have a gender identity that matches their biological sex, while transgender people do not. Additionally, some people have a non-binary gender identity that doesn’t fit a neat male-female category (e.g. genderfluid, androgyne, agender, culture-specific “third genders,” etc).



Some people assume that trans and non-binary gender identities are something new, but they are actually a natural part of human diversity. There are historical records documenting the existence of trans and non-binary people as far back as four thousand years ago, and those records continue throughout history and across cultures.



Scientific research on gender identity has a long history as well. In the early 1900s, the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft in Berlin was one of the first places to research gender and perform pioneering gender affirmation surgeries. However, Nazi soldiers burnt down the institute and set back research for decades.<a id="f4" href="#a4">[4]</a>



Despite this setback, modern research continues to support the existence of transgender identities through neuroanatomical<a id="f5" href="#a5">[5]</a> and genetic<a id="f6" href="#a6">[6]</a> studies. Trans people do not need their existence legitimized by science, but for some, it can be affirming to know that gender identity is not “just a choice” but is rather a complex trait governed by a number of genetics and non-genetic factors, just like height.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-it-matter">Why does it matter?</h2>



Transgender people face daily threats to their wellbeing, so much so that the <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-adopts-new-policies-first-day-voting-2019-annual-meeting">American Medical Association</a> deemed the situation “an epidemic of violence against the transgender community.” We want to do our part in making sure our trans and non-binary customers have a safe and inclusive experience, whether it is being able to use their correct pronouns or being sure that they will not be accidentally outed or deadnamed (called their pre-transition name rather than their chosen name).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-research">In Research</h2>



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/sexual-behavior-not-meaningfully-predicted-by-genetics-new-study-finds/">Last year</a> we contributed to a genome-wide association study that identified a number of variants associated with same-sex sexual behavior. We recognized that this study had some limitations, so we sought out ways to ensure future studies were even more robust.



We have since been working to improve our gender and sexuality survey through user testing with the LGBTQ+ community. This feedback has helped us refine our survey to be both sensitively worded, as well as scientifically robust.



One improvement that resulted from this feedback was an update to the question “About how old were you when you became aware of your current gender identity?” We added “About” after several participants noted that this is a gradual process for most people, but that they had no problem providing an estimated age if prompted.



We have also added additional questions in order to separately assess attraction vs. behavior, as well as to better capture bisexual and pansexual orientations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-our-workplace">In Our Workplace</h2>



Finally, we want to make sure that 23andMe is an amazing place to work for LGBTQ+ employees. Same-sex partners are eligible for health care coverage and benefits, and all parents receive 16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave regardless of gender. Our health insurance plans also cover medical transitioning, including hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery.



Additionally, every year our LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group hosts a company-wide Pride event to celebrate our employees and to educate allies. Employees also frequently volunteer to share their experiences with younger LGBTQ+ scientists at external events like Out in STEM panels and the Lesbians Who Tech Summit.



Equity and justice will only arrive through action. We hope that you’ll join us.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"> </code> <a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a> &#8220;<a href="https://isna.org/faq/what_is_intersex/">What is Intersex?</a>&#8221; Intersex Society of North America.</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"></code> <a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a>&#8220;<a href="https://www.genderinclusivebiology.com/newsletter/who-gender-and-genetics">Gender and Genetics</a>&#8221; World Health Organization.</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> </code> <a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a><a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/lgbtq-definitions-gender-sexuality-terms">Gender National Glossary</a>, Refinery29</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> </code> <a id="f4" href="#a4">[4]</a>&#8220;<a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/lgbtq-institute-in-germany-was-burned-down-by-nazis">LGBT Institute in Germany was Burned Down by Nazis</a>,&#8221; by Lucy Diavolo Teen Vogue 9/20,2017.</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> </code> <a id="f5" href="#a5">[5]</a> Baudewijntje P.C. Kreukels &amp; Antonio Guillamon (2016) Neuroimaging studies in people with gender incongruence, International Review of Psychiatry, 28:1, 120-128, DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3109/09540261.2015.1113163">10.3109/09540261.2015.1113163</a></footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> </code> <a id="f6" href="#a6">[6]</a> Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200205084203.htm">Gene variants provide insight into brain, body incongruence in transgender</a>.&#8221;&nbsp; ScienceDaily, 5 February 2020.</footer>



<footer class="footnotes"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code></footer>



<footer class="footnotes"></footer>



<footer class="footnotes"></footer>

Celebrating Pride Month, a Spotlight on Sex and Gender

This week, 23andMe updated its G6PD Deficiency Genetic Health Risk Report.* The update includes testing for an additional variant linked to G6PD  deficiency, a condition that can lead to episodes of anemia.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28317 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-300x185.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="185" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-300x185.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-768x473.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene-880x542.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/G6PD-Gene.jpg 887w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The update makes this report more comprehensive and relevant to more people.
<h2>The G6PD Report</h2>
Two of the most common variants linked to G6PD Deficiency are V68M and S188F. Until today, 23andMe reported on just one of those variants, V68M. That variant is most common in people of African descent. It is also found in people of African ancestry, including Hispanic or Latino descent. Now, 23andMe has added another common variant, S188F, making the report relevant for more people. The S188F variant is most common in people of Southern European, Kurdish, Jewish, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and South Asian descent.

Together these two variants make 23andMe’s report more comprehensive. The update is also consistent with 23andMe’s mission to ensure people, all people, can access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. This report is another one of our efforts to improve diversity in our reports.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28318 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-880x586.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report-1180x786.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Updated-G6PD-Def-Report.jpg 1942w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The effort to update the report was informed, in part, by discussions with the <a href="https://g6pddf.org/">g6pd Deficiency Foundation</a>, which raises awareness of this little-known disease. The foundation encouraged 23andMe to expand the report&#8217;s scope by including this additional variant.
“This is a giant step for screening for G6PD deficiency and the timing is perfect,” said Keely Harris, President, and founder of the g6pd Deficiency Foundation.
<h2>The G6PD Protein</h2>
Harris said the foundation is currently working on a new awareness campaign.
The variants included in the report can reduce the levels or activity of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/G6PD">G6PD</a>. This protein helps protect red blood cells from damage. People with G6PD deficiency usually don’t have symptoms unless exposed to certain factors, such as certain medications, infections, or foods (like fava beans).
Specific triggers may vary from person to person, and many people with the condition do not experience symptoms. In a person with G6PD deficiency, a trigger can result in the destruction of red blood cells. If too many red blood cells are destroyed, this can sometimes — though not always — lead to episodes of anemia, which can be characterized by symptoms such as dark urine, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, and more.
<h2>Worldwide Impact</h2>
The National Institutes of Health estimates that about 400 million people worldwide have the condition. It is most common in people from certain parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
The G6PD gene is found on the X chromosome. Because it is inherited, males are more likely to have G6PD deficiency than females. About one in ten <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-deficiency#statistics">African American males has G6PD deficiency</a>. Because these variants are so common among African Americans, it is not unusual for African American women to also have this condition.
23andMe’s test doesn’t diagnose<a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-deficiency"> G6PD deficiency</a>. Instead, it detects two common variants linked to G6PD deficiency. 23andMe’s updated G6PD Deficiency Genetic Health Risk report* is one of more than 10 Health Predisposition reports offered to new and existing <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry?mkbanner=true">Health + Ancestry Service</a> customers. These include reports that meet FDA requirements for Genetic Health Risks and reports powered by 23andMe research.
<h2>Note:</h2>
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment.  The G6PD genetic health risk report is indicated for reporting of the V68M and S188F variants in the G6PD gene and describes if a person has one or more variants linked to G6PD deficiency and an increased risk for episodes of anemia. The variants included in this report are most studied in people of African, Southern European, Kurdish Jewish, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and South Asian descent.

A photo of people on the street in New York

Improvements to 23andMe’s G6PD Deficiency Report

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything: from how we work, learn, and interact, to how active, or inactive, we are each day.
<h2><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28320 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-300x261.png" alt="" width="300" height="261" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-300x261.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-1024x889.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-768x667.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-880x764.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps-1180x1025.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Figure-1-Steps.png 1598w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Less Walking</h2>
People are walking a lot less and sleeping more since efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 began in March, according to new data compiled by 23andMe. Researchers looked at data from 33,000 individuals, who consented to participate in research, and included about 20 million data points tracking more than two months of activity. While we know the virus itself presents serious health risks, these changes in daily behavior may also impact our health in more subtle ways.
“It really comes down to the small everyday things; the commute to work, dropping the kids at daycare or school, the grocery store runs, the walk to get lunch,” said Teresa Filshtein Sonmez, Ph.D., a 23andMe Research Biostatistician, who is a part of the team looking at the data. “All the small everyday physical actions we take add up.&#8221;
<h2>Disrupting Routines</h2>
Teresa noted that while we are sheltering-in-place, we are not doing those things.
&#8220;We know the pandemic is disrupting our lives, but we also want to understand how these changes may affect our health,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We want to understand COVID-19 and the impacts it has, from every angle (not just the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/blood-type-and-covid-19/">genetic one</a>!); e.g., what is the &#8216;health cost&#8217; of 1000 less steps a day? &#8221;

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28307 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/steps-by-day-of-the-week-300x186.png" alt="" width="300" height="186" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/steps-by-day-of-the-week-300x186.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/steps-by-day-of-the-week.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Since U.S. residents first began sheltering in place, the daily number of steps taken on average dropped by 22 percent, according to 23andMe’s data. (See Figure 1.) This data came from customers who have consented to participate in research and are sharing data from either iPhones or Apple Watches. The observed pattern is even more striking on weekends. (See Figure 2.) For example, since shelter-in-place policies were enacted, the average number of steps taken on Sundays decreased by about 35 percent. In comparison, during the same period in 2019, the number of daily steps actually increased, likely due to better weather and longer spring days.
<h2>Differences between Groups</h2>
The 23andMe analysis also compared step data across genders and age groups. While we did not observe substantial differences between men and women, the age patterns told a different story. Grouped by age, we found that activity declined within each age group, but for younger individuals, this reduction in activity was especially profound. Before the shelter in place orders, people in their 20s &#8211; 40s had the most steps, but since mid-March, the physical activity patterns have reversed&#8211; with the people in their 20s experiencing the most drastic decrease.  (See Figure 3.)
<div id="attachment_28308" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28308" class="wp-image-28308 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Weekend-steps-300x219.png" alt="" width="300" height="219" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Weekend-steps-300x219.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Weekend-steps.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Figure 3. Step totals by age group before and after shelter in place orders.</div>
The sleep data is a little more challenging to understand because our data come from smart devices rather than sleep trackers. Specifically, we know how long each device has been inactive at night. From that data, we can see that device inactivity increased by about an hour and a half (+12%) during the week. When we dove a little deeper into the device inactivity period, we saw that this extra 1.5 hours of inactivity was restricted to the morning. (See Figure 4.)  In other words, compared to pre-COVID behavior, people seem to be putting their devices down for the night at approximately the same time, but they are starting their days (or initiating device use) a little bit later each day. While device inactivity is not a direct measure of sleep, our data show a substantial change in our customers’ behavior.
<h2><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28309 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Device-Inactivity-sleep-300x257.png" alt="" width="300" height="257" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Device-Inactivity-sleep-300x257.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Device-Inactivity-sleep.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Parents and Families</h2>
Sheltering-in-place has not only transformed the lives of adults, confining most of us to working from home but has also led to the closures of most schools and daycare centers. To explore how these changes affected parents’ activity levels, we compared both daily steps and average wake-up time across individuals with and without children living at home.*  We observed that COVID-related physical activity changes were more dramatic for individuals without children, especially among men.
On average, in the two weeks since the shelter-in-place ordinances, men without children walked 26% less than in the preceding two weeks, while men with children only reduced their step count by 10%.  Similarly, women without children had a step reduction of 25%, compared to only 20% for mothers. In addition, the median change in the wake-up time for men without children was about 25 minutes greater than it was for fathers. However, we saw only a slight change in this same measure among women. While this could be explained by women sleeping more, it is also possible that women just pick up their devices later in the morning. In fact, other <a href="https://ww2.amstat.org/meetings/jsm/2020/onlineprogram/AbstractDetails.cfm?abstractid=313088">studies by 23andMe scientists</a> have explored gender differences in activity vs. phone use behaviors.
<h2>Other Published Data</h2>
Our findings are consistent with other published evidence on the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. Fitbit&#8211; a fitness tracker manufacturer&#8211; recently<a href="https://blog.fitbit.com/covid-19-global-activity/"> published data</a> showing that in early March, the number of average steps taken by their millions of users has dropped by between 7 percent and 38 percent, depending on the country. Predictably, the largest decreases were in countries suffering the most serious outbreaks, like Spain and Italy. For the U.S., the activity changes reported by Fitbit were modest compared to 23andMe’s data. However, Fitbit only considered data from one week in March whereas 23andMe examined several months’ worth of activity patterns.
This small sampling of the data shows just how much the pandemic has disrupted people’s lives. These changes in activity and sleep may have a lasting health impact that is not captured by infection rates but can compellingly be attributed to the pandemic.
*This analysis was limited to participants in the 20-50 age group.

One Thousand Steps Less During COVID-19

By Caroline Wallis, 23andMe Content Strategist
As a 23andMe employee, I know <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">genetic testing</a> sometimes uncovers family secrets. Having learned of one myself, I also know some of the many emotions that can ensue with these kinds of surprises. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-28302 size-medium" width="195" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes.jpg 1556w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes-195x300.jpg 195w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes-664x1024.jpg 664w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes-768x1185.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes-571x880.jpg 571w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/InheritanceHiRes-765x1180.jpg 765w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px" />
But <a href="https://danishapiro.com/contact-bio/">Dani Shapiro</a>’s poignant memoir <a href="https://danishapiro.com/books/inheritance/">Inheritance </a>goes beyond just emotion and follows the slow unraveling of a family secret that challenges everything the author knew about herself. 
An only child from an Orthodox Jewish household, Shapiro is an accomplished memoirist, who was already fascinated with identity when she decided to take a DNA test as an adult. After receiving her results suggesting the dad she grew up with wasn’t actually her biological father, Shapiro embarks on a quest to find her “real” relatives. 
This journey takes her all over the US to consult medical experts, spiritual leaders, and relatives both genetic and otherwise. Along the way, she learns about the untold early history of fertility clinics like the one she was conceived in. The experience imparts new perspectives on paternity, the meaning of family, and identity.  
One of the biggest lessons I took away from this book is that there is no script for these kinds of reunion stories. Although my story is slightly different, (e.g. My parents are in fact my biological parents) the waves of shock, anguish, and new-found determination that Dani Shapiro described were all emotions that resonated with my own experience. 
Inheritance is a heartfelt personal story told with an honesty that has validated and helped me navigate my own journey. 
&nbsp;

Caroline Wallis

Reflecting on my own journey

Editor&#8217;s note 9/5/23: Thanks to all our readers for their questions on this post. Please note, 23andMe does not currently offer a report on blood type, and our COVID-19 research is now complete. See the findings from our <a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/covid-19-three-years-in">COVID-19 Study here</a>.



Preliminary data from 23andMe’s ongoing genetic study of COVID-19 appears to lend more evidence for the importance of a person’s blood type — determined by the ABO gene — in differences in the susceptibility to the virus.



While 23andMe researchers continue to explore the implications of this data, we&#8217;re also continuing to provide important genetic health information to our customers. <a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">Compare our DNA tests</a> to learn more about our services.



23andMe is still recruiting for its <a href="https://you.23andme.com/covid19-study/">massive study</a>, most recently seeking <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-expands-covid-study/">10,000 participants</a> outside of 23andMe who have been hospitalized and diagnosed with COVID-19. (Note: Currently, only those living in the U.S. are eligible to participate in this study.) 23andMe researchers have yet to finish looking at what the genetic data indicate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-first-look">A First Look</h2>



But a first blush look at the information from the more than 750,000 participants in the study shows the following:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The preliminary data suggest that O blood type appears to be protective against the virus when compared to all other blood types.</li>



<li>Individuals with O blood type are between 9-18% percent less likely than individuals with other blood types to have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the data.</li>



<li>There appeared to be little differences in susceptibility among the other blood types.</li>



<li>These findings hold when adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, and co-morbidities.</li>



<li>Although <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058073v1.full.pdf">one study</a> found the blood group O only to be protective across rhesus positive blood types, differences in rhesus factor (blood type + or -) were not significant in 23andMe data. Nor was this a factor in susceptibility or severity in cases.</li>



<li>Among those exposed to the virus — healthcare and other front line workers — 23andMe found that blood type O is similarly protective, but the proportion of cases within strata is higher.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preliminary-genetic-association">Preliminary Genetic Association</h2>



While it is still very early in the study, 23andMe’s preliminary investigation into genetics seems to support these findings. We&#8217;ve compared the research participants who reported that they tested positive for COVID-19 to those who tested negative. Our researchers identified a variant in the ABO gene associated with a lower risk. (The single nucleotide polymorphism in the ABO gene is rs505922, a T at that location is associated with lower risk. The P-value for the association is 1.4e-8, OR = 0.88).



Both the data on blood type and the preliminary genetic findings also appear to support at least two recently published pre-print studies — one by <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.11.20031096v2">researchers in China</a> and the most recent one by <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.31.20114991v1">researchers in Italy and Spain</a> — that look at the ABO gene’s role in COVID-19. The study in China looked at susceptibility, while the Italian and Spanish study found an association with blood type and severity of the illness.



Numerous other studies have reported that the ABO blood group plays a role in both susceptibility and severity for COVID-19 (refs: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.11.20031096v2">1</a>, <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.31.20114991v1">2,</a> <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.31.20114991v1">3</a>). We know from <a href="https://cmr.asm.org/content/28/3/801">other studies</a> that the ABO blood group can play a direct role in other types of infections. This is because it serves as receptors, or coreceptors for microorganisms, parasites, and viruses. The preliminary findings from 23andMe’s data are also notable because of the link between COVID-19 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01403-8">blood clotting</a>, and <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007621">cardiovascular disease</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-blood-types">Comparing Blood Types</h2>



23andMe researchers wanted to investigate this link with blood type, so we estimated the contribution to risk by comparing each blood group against each of the others. Because the differences are quite small, an extremely large sample size is needed to explore differences across groups. For 23andMe’s study, which now includes more than 750,000 individuals, we investigated the cumulative incidence of self-reported COVID-19 by blood type, hospitalization by blood type, and proportion of those infected after known exposure by blood type.



Here is what we found.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="185" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Table-1-Comparison-by-Blood-Type-300x185.png" alt="A chart showing the percent of 23andMe research participants who tested positive for COVID-19 by blood group" class="wp-image-28288" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Table-1-Comparison-by-Blood-Type-300x185.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Table-1-Comparison-by-Blood-Type-768x475.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Table-1-Comparison-by-Blood-Type-880x544.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Table-1-Comparison-by-Blood-Type.png 922w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Percent of 23andMe research participants who tested positive for COVID-19, by blood group.</figcaption></figure>



Among respondents to the 23andMe COVID-19 survey, the percent of respondents reporting a positive test for COVID-19 is lowest for people who are O blood type. The percent of respondents reporting a positive test for COVID-19 was highest among those with the AB blood type.



Those who were blood groups A, B, and AB did not statistically differ from each other (Table 1 Below). This relationship holds after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, race, ethnicity, and co-morbidities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-at-those-with-higher-probability-for-exposure-to-covid-19">Looking at Those with Higher Probability for Exposure to COVID-19</h2>



<a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058073v1.full.pdf">One study</a> found the blood group O protective only across rhesus positive blood types. But in 23andMe’s data we found that differences by self-reported rhesus factor (blood type + or -) were not significant. Neither was the interaction between blood group and rhesus factor in statistical models predicting being a case, or being a hospitalized case.



To better understand the risk of acquiring the infection, we restricted the data to those with a high probability of exposure. This included professional health care workers. These would be individuals with close contact with known cases, and essential workers. As you can see below, blood type O shows a similar pattern as seen above. But the proportion of cases within strata is higher, as we would expect.



After adjustment for age, age squared, sex, race (census race categories), ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino), BMI, and a single variable indicating a vulnerability to severe infection (e.g. high-risk co-morbidity or immunocompromised) blood type O showed a protective effect against both acquiring (OR = 0.86, p &lt; 0.0001), and being hospitalized for the infection (OR = 0.81, p = 0.05). The protective effect of acquiring the infection strengthened in models restricted to the “exposed” population (OR = 0.81, p &lt; 0.0001). (Table 1).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="292" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-1024x292.png" alt="A chart showing cases and controls and the odds ratios" class="wp-image-28291" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-1024x292.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-300x85.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-768x219.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-880x251.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table-1180x336.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Case-v-Controls-Outcomes-Table.png 1502w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Table 1. Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) estimating the effect of blood type O compared to all other blood types for the risk of infection (case v control) or hospitalization. An OR is a statistic that quantifies the strength of the association between a measurement and an outcome, while a Confidence Interval is a range of values that is likely to contain the true unknown value.</figcaption></figure>



In the whole population, those with the O blood group were 9-18% less likely to test positive compared to the other groups. When looking at only exposed individuals, those with O blood group were 13-26% less likely to test positive.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="185" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Blood-Type-for-Exposed-Individuals-1-300x185.png" alt="A chart showing blood type for people exposed to COVID-19" class="wp-image-28292" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Blood-Type-for-Exposed-Individuals-1-300x185.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Blood-Type-for-Exposed-Individuals-1-768x475.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Blood-Type-for-Exposed-Individuals-1-880x544.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Blood-Type-for-Exposed-Individuals-1.png 922w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-"><code style="display: none;"> 
</code><code style="display: none;"></code></h6>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-still-recruiting">Still Recruiting</h2>



23andMe launched its COVID-19 study on April 6th. We invited customers to participate in the large-scale study looking at whether genetics could help explain the differences in <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/covid-19-severity-calculator">severity among patients</a>. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="624" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population-1024x624.jpg" alt="A chart showing the percent of those exposed to COVID-19 who were diagnosed with it." class="wp-image-28293" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population-1024x624.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population-300x183.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population-768x468.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population-880x536.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Exposed-population.jpg 1044w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Percent reporting positive test for COVID-19 among those with a high probability of exposure (health care professionals, essential workers, and those experiencing personal contact with a diagnosed case), by blood group.</figcaption></figure>



In May, the study was <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-expands-covid-study/">expanded.</a> We added individuals outside of 23andMe who have experienced severe COVID-19 symptoms. The <a href="https://you.23andme.com/covid19-study/">expanded study</a>, in which 23andMe is providing 10,000 kits free of charge, aims to identify individuals who tested positive and were hospitalized for COVID-19. As part of the research, participants answer survey questions. These are questions about whether they’ve experienced cold or flu-like symptoms for instance. We also ask whether they’ve been diagnosed or<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/mapping-genetics-of-covid-19"> treated for COVID-19</a>, and whether they’ve been hospitalized for the illness.



The study and recruitment are ongoing. We hope that we can use our research platform to better understand differences in how people respond to the virus. Ultimately, we hope to publish our research findings. We want to provide more insight into COVID-19 for the scientific community.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



Find out if your <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/genetic-health/">genetics</a> might Increase your risk for any health conditions with 23andMe.

A logo for 23andMe's COVID-19 Research Study

Blood type may play a role in COVID-19 

Father&#8217;s Day is coming up, and many of us are scrambling to find a funny card, the right gift, or the perfect words to say to our dads this year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-28279 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_5035-1180x885.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
But for a select few 23andMe customers, this Father&#8217;s Day will be their first with their birth fathers.
While fatherhood is about much more than biology, for many using DNA to connect with their birth fathers for the first time has given them answers to questions about their origins, and their family history. Seeing how DNA connects them has helped these fathers and children better understand themselves, the traits that make them who they are, and what they have passed on to their own children.

<h6>Feeling Whole</h6>
It isn&#8217;t always easy or even pleasant, but for some making these connections has been life-altering and wonderfully unexpected.
&#8220;Growing up, I wasn&#8217;t sure of myself or who I was,&#8221; said Keani, who recently found and connected with her birth father, Adam. &#8220;I was trying to find my identity. Now I feel more confident. I don&#8217;t have this hole in my heart. I have the other half of who I am.&#8221;
Her grandparents raised Keani, and she considered her granddad, her Pop-Pop, as her father. He passed away not too long ago. Finding Adam, her birth father, and building a relationship with him and his family, came at a perfect time. She just graduated from college and got married. Keani, her husband, and her 7-year-old daughter are moving from her home on the east coast to be closer to Adam.
For Adam, who has a teenage son and a foster child with his partner in Seattle, finding his daughter has been the ultimate gift. When she first came to visit him and his family, Adam gave her a present for each of her 29 birthdays that he missed. He also gave her a key to his home in Seattle and a specially engraved necklace.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve grown this relationship, it&#8217;s so strong, and it&#8217;s so amazing,&#8221; said Adam. &#8220;I&#8217;ve never been happier in my entire life. She&#8217;s my daughter, and it&#8217;s fantastic. Keani will never lay her head down at night again, wondering where I am or how I feel. I love her with all my heart and soul. I feel privileged to let her know that every night for the rest of my life.&#8221;
<h6>A Gift</h6>
Reba, of North Carolina, had been searching for most of her life. She was adopted. Many years ago she was able to find her birth mother using her adoption records, but her efforts to connect with her mother were rebuffed. Reba thought the door to finding out anything more about her birth parents had been closed. But she never gave up hope.
<div id="attachment_28281" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28281" class="wp-image-28281 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-660x880.jpg 660w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-885x1180.jpg 885w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200522_070600-1-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" />Reba and her dad.</div>
Then her daughter gave her a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA testing kit</a> as a gift. Using 23andMe’s Family Tree feature, which sketches DNA Relative matches on the maternal and paternal branches of your family tree, Reba was able to find her father’s name. While her mother’s side of the tree was empty, her father’s side was filled up with relatives. She saw her birth father’s name, along with his sister, Reba’s aunt. Reba learned that they were from the same town in Ohio where she grew up.
“This was my key to locating and contacting my father,” she said.
She ultimately connected with her birth father via Facebook. He responded to her messages and was eager to connect. She learned her father had never known of her birth, and he’d also never had children of his own.  Within five days of connecting, he drove and a nephew,  from his home in Florida to meet her in person at her home in North Carolina. He didn&#8217;t want to waste any time waiting to meet his daughter.
&#8220;I have a daughter, I have a granddaughter, and I have a grandson. I have to be there!&#8221; he told Reba.
The hours leading up to <a href="https://youtu.be/pk2Md9HGczo">seeing him for the first time</a> were filled with nervous excitement for Reba.
&#8220;Finding what I thought I&#8217;d lost forever … was a gift from God,&#8221; she said.
In May, she was able to celebrate his birthday with him at his home in Tampa. They&#8217;ll be celebrating Father&#8217;s Day together too. Their first one as father and daughter.
<h6>A Special Gift for Father&#8217;s Day</h6>
Linda always knew she&#8217;d been adopted. She didn&#8217;t have a great desire to find and meet her biological family. Her adoptive parents loved her, and she thought meeting her birth father or mother, &#8220;would be like meeting a stranger.&#8221;
Or at least that&#8217;s what she thought until it actually happened.
Linda, on a whim and at the suggestions of a friend, used 23andMe and found not just her birth father, but her birth mother as well, and a brother. Her biological parents had been teenagers when they had her and put her up for adoption. A few years later, they got married and had two sons. One recently passed away. Meeting them, she said, brought her so much joy. Linda was surprised at the emotions that welled up in her when she traveled from her home in Arizona to Florida to meet them in person for the first time.
&#8220;I actually have a video of us driving in,&#8221; she told the <a href="https://www.scottsdale.org/neighboors/scottsdale-woman-finally-meets-her-birth-parents/article_1bed0800-88a7-11ea-9f47-eb5567922607.html">Scottsdale Progress</a>, her hometown paper &#8220;I didn&#8217;t realize how excited I was. When my Dad [hugged] me … he held me for the longest time, and I was just balling.&#8221;
She also saw her own kids, her son, and daughter, in her birth father, and her brother. They carried themselves in the same way and have similar mannerisms and expressions.
It wasn&#8217;t just the physical similarities, her son is burly like them, but his interests too. He&#8217;s an electrician, and so are several members of her birth father&#8217;s family. While she was in Florida, her father shared that he, too was filled with emotion. &#8220;Oh, my heart&#8217;s just a flutter seeing everyone together,&#8221; he told her.
This Father&#8217;s Day is going to be different this year, Linda said.
&#8220;Well, I haven&#8217;t had a father to celebrate with since 1988 when my adoptive father passed away,&#8221; said Linda. &#8220;My only grandpa I knew passed when I was 5. So, finding my dad was huge for me!”
Linda is using some of the photos she took during her visit to make her dad “a special gift.&#8221;

This Father’s Day Is their First

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we here at 23andMe — researchers, engineers, scientists, and content creators — continue to work, albeit from home. Like a lot of you, we also get a little overwhelmed with the news but are trying to stay positive and support each other. It helps to have a mission that gives us purpose and a CEO who inspires.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-28274 size-larger" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-880x298.png" alt="" width="880" height="298" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-880x298.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-300x102.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-1024x347.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-768x260.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silver_Linings-1180x400.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px" />
But we also have each other. One of the things we recently did was to invite employees to share with us their “silver linings,” the bright spots of their days spent working from home and sheltering in place with their families or on their own.

Below are a few we collected to share. It’s a reminder that even in our darkest hours there’s always room for a little light.
<ul>
<li>“I&#8217;m much more aware of the seasonal awakening of the flowers and trees around my yard, and all the birds that fly through,” said Crystal, who works with on 23andMe’s security team.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For Patty, one of our engineers, her silver lining was just a simple kindness from a neighbor who noticed she was suffering from allergies: “My neighbor asked me if I wanted some allergy medicine … She went into her house and brought out a bottle of Zyrtec about three-quarters full. As I went to open the bottle to take a single pill out, she said I could keep the whole thing!”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Ted, another engineer, said he’s had more time to tidy up and hang with his kids: “The house is incredibly clean and in its best state of repair since I don’t have the excuse of “too busy” to fix stuff. Biking with the kids more often. Gaming with the kids: Playing Minecraft, Star Wars Battlefront (the originals from the 2000s, not the EA pay-as-you-go ones), and… Oregon Trail! Eating together as a family.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For Lindsay, who works in with the communications team, working from home has given her more time to connect with loved ones far away: “This week I played virtual trivia with my loved ones who are currently spread out all around the country and world!”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Chalise, who is on the engineering team, also talked about how this time has brought her closer to her family:  “I’ve been texting and calling with my sisters on the east coast a lot more because it&#8217;s easier to chat with them in the morning now. Plus they have been finding entertaining ways to stay connected, like a letter, my sister wrote to me (with the tea-stained paper, burnt edges.)”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Joanna, part of our research team, has reaped the bounty of her son’s baking. He had been working in Washington DC but decided to come back to California and work from here: “My son is baking sourdough bread (to order) on a regular basis.  I just had a slice of very whole wheat with butter and “summer blackberry and lemon” jam we got in Pacific Grove in December…  My favorite so far is whole wheat with toasted walnuts and sunflower seeds.  The process is fascinating.  He started by making the starter over a month ago and has been baking for 3 weeks now…  I love having him home and the bread is a big bonus.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Katie, on the communications team, has a new ritual with her two sons and her husband each afternoon: “I&#8217;m forced to play soccer with my boys daily, so my soccer skills have definitely improved!”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sarah, who works on our product science team, is making sure to get time outside: “It’s so wonderful to go for long walks/runs/bike rides just as spring is springing! I love spending more time with my SO during the day. I feel so tremendously grateful that (a) I still have a job and, (b) it’s a job I can totally do from home.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For Teresa, on the research team, the time at home is a bonus for her cats. “Among many other things, getting sucked into some middle of the day quick cuddles with [my cats]. Reminds me of grad school days when we first got them.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Steve, on the engineering team, only magnified what he has always felt about his family. “The totality of the COVID-19 situation is amplifying the love and pride I feel for my family back in Ohio, including my brother and sister who are both MDs powering through the challenges to deliver the necessary care to folks, and my 83-year-old mom making and delivering hundreds of masks each week. Another silver lining &#8211; Locally, SIP has inspired a daily routine to end each day of zoom meeting madness with a proper glass of wine with my wife on our front porch enjoying the incredible neighborhood spirit and the many friendly folks walking the sidewalks.”</li>
</ul>
These were some of our silver linings. What are yours?

Working from Home Silver Lining Stories from 23andMe

A new study that relied on data from more than four million 23andMe customers, may help speed efforts now underway to find drug targets for treating Parkinson&#8217;s disease.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-3133 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/parkinsonsdisease.jpg" alt="" width="260" height="236" />Working with researchers at 23andMe, scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, were able to identify a very rare group of individuals who have what are called &#8220;loss of function&#8221; alleles in the gene LRRK2. These 1,400 individuals also do not appear any more or less healthy than those without the loss of function alleles, even though the alleles have essentially turned off the function of one of their LRRK2 genes.
This finding, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0893-5">Nature Medicine</a>, gives drug hunters looking for new treatments more evidence that they may be able to safely target that gene, which is the most common genetic cause for Parkinson&#8217;s.

<h6>Collaborating and Leveraging Data</h6>
The paper was one of <a href="https://www.broadinstitute.org/node/629796">seven published </a>by the researchers using data from Broad&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nature.com/immersive/d42859-020-00002-x/index.html">Genome Aggregation Database</a> (gnomAD), which brings together exome and sequence data from many sources for researchers. Leveraging that data, the researchers looked not just at Parkinson’s disease, but also developed a catalog of human variation, insights into population genetics, disease association, and diagnostic screening.
A grant from the <a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/">Michael J. Fox Foundation</a> helped pay for the work on the LRRK2 paper, which included essential contributions from scientists at Imperial College London, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The study also included data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> and Broad&#8217;s gnomAD.
&#8220;The study is another illustration of the immense value of 23andMe&#8217;s data,&#8221; said Paul Cannon Ph.D., 23andMe&#8217;s Parkinson&#8217;s disease research manager. &#8220;Having this very large genetically and phenotypically characterized cohort offers novel opportunities to look for evidence of any potential safety concerns for drugs for targets like these, which individuals at risk of developing Parkinson’s, may end up taking chronically, perhaps for decades .&#8221;
<h6>Looking at LRRK2</h6>
As part of their work, the researchers were also able to confirm many known loss of function variants in the LRRK2 gene, which are extremely rare. But the researchers also found that about 1,400 individuals in the 23andMe database carried one of three loss of function variants. The 23andMe data includes extensive health as well as other <a href="https://www.23andme.com/research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">phenotypic information</a>. This allowed researchers to determine that those individuals did not appear to be suffering health effects from that loss of function.
In most cases, the cause of Parkinson&#8217;s disease is unknown. There is a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors at play that lead to the development of the disease. But in the last decade, researchers have identified variants in a handful of genes, including <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/LRRK2#normalfunction">LRRK2</a>, associated with developing Parkinson&#8217;s disease. In the case of LRRK2 a variant in the gene is associated with the overproduction of certain proteins in the brain. Scientists have long believed that one avenue for treating the disease may lie in modifying, or &#8220;down-regulating&#8221; the function of the LRRK2 gene. Still, they want to better understand whether that can be done safely.
&#8220;These results suggest that drugs that reduce LRRK2 kinase activity are unlikely to show toxicity due to on-target effects,&#8221; the researchers state in the paper.

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