For National Cousins day we thought we&#8217;d share the story of Lisa Henry and Joyce Schur, who are  are so close that they always felt like more than just friends. After using 23andme they learned that they had that right. They are actually cousins.
<div id="attachment_26368" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26368" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lisa-and-Joyce-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26368 size-medium" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lisa-and-Joyce-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lisa-and-Joyce-768x433.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lisa-and-Joyce-880x496.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lisa-and-Joyce.jpg 969w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Friends Lisa, on the left, and Joyce. The photo on the right is from 2016.</div>
Their story was recently covered by <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/pennsylvania-women-who-have-been-best-friends-childhood-discover-theyre-related-44987">Inside Edition</a>. The two Pennsylvania women shared their story with us earlier this year. It’s about two people grew up near each other, became friends, and crossed huge milestones in their life over 40 years – marriage, having children, and family struggles. Through it all they remained friends.
“We have been friend and neighbors since we where young girls, and so many times people have asked us if we were related because we do resemble one another and are very similar in our ways,” said Lisa. “We are now in our fifties and still best friends, but never would have known we are really related, if it weren&#8217;t for 23andMe.”
It took a bit to figure it all out. Lisa had been first to test, and it wasn&#8217;t until Joyce tired of hearing about all the neat things Lisa was learning from her 23andme results that she tested. Lisa was the first person Joyce called when she got her results. She wanted some help walking through her results. When she opened up her DNA Relatives, she immediately saw Lisa&#8217;s name.
&#8220;Oh my gosh, you are the sixth person on my list! I am looking at your picture!&#8221; Joyce said.
Recently they were at a function together and a man standing in line asked:
&#8220;Are you to related?&#8221;
Joyce turned to him and said, &#8220;Well, as a matter of fact &#8211; yes!&#8221;
Check out their story <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/pennsylvania-women-who-have-been-best-friends-childhood-discover-theyre-related-44987">here</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Happy National Cousins Day

In one of the largest genetic studies ever done, an international consortium of scientists has found more than 1,200 genetic variants associated with educational attainment, which is defined as the number of years individuals spent in school or university.
While income and environment strongly influence the amount of formal education a person completes, genes associated with such things as brain development, cognitive function, and personality traits also play a significant and measurable role, according to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0147-3">the study</a>.
Indeed this same group of researchers, the<a href="https://www.thessgac.org/"> Social Science Genetic Association Consortium</a>, completed a similar but much smaller study two years ago and identified 74 variants associated with educational attainment.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--1024x709.jpg" alt="" class="size-large wp-image-26363" width="1024" height="709" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--1024x709.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--300x208.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--768x532.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--880x609.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Educational-Attainment--1180x817.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

<div id="attachment_26366" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26366" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Dan-Benjamin-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26366 size-medium" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Dan-Benjamin-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Dan-Benjamin.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />Daniel Benjamin, associate professor at USC&#8217;s Center for Economic and Socials Research.</div>
But this study, which includes data from more than 1.1 million people, is more than three times as large as the study done two years ago. Researchers used de-identified aggregaged data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, data from the<a href="http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/about-biobank-uk/"> UK Biobank</a>, and 69 other smaller research cohorts. The large size of this study offered scientists unprecedented ability to identify genetic variants that have even a very small influence on educational attainment. 
“Even variants with the largest effects predict, on average, only about three more weeks of schooling in those who have those variants compared to those who don’t,” said<a href="https://cesr.usc.edu/people/staff/djbenjam"> Daniel Benjamin</a>, a lead author on the study and an associate professor at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California. “Yet when we analyze the combined effects of many genetic variants, taken together they can predict the length of a person’s formal education as well as demographic factors.”
Benjamin is alluding to an additional step the researchers took for this study. The team was able to create what is called a “polygenic score” to determine the predictive power of the genetic variants associated with educational attainment. A polygenic score is essentially an algorithm that adds up the impact of multiple variants altogether. The researchers used more than a million variants across the genome and found that the polygenic risk score predicted educational attainment just as well as looking solely at demographic influences. Using the polygenic model the researchers were predictive of 11-to-13 percent of variation in the number of years completed in school. 
While this finding is promising, the researchers point out that even taken together the genetic variants they found associated with educational attainment, they are far from being able to determine educational attainment through genetics alone or even explaining all the genetic influences. Twin studies suggest that there are yet undiscovered genetic factors involved. Twin studies suggest that genetics accounts for about 20 percent of the variation in educational attainment. So the researchers believe there are many, many more variants, perhaps millions that have yet to be found. Identifying those additional genetic variants will require studies of even larger size. 
The study also illustrates the power of big data and the potential of the research model pioneered by 23andMe not just for work like this by social scientists, but studies of other traits, health conditions and rare disease. Earlier this year, a study on insomnia using data from more than 1.3 million people, making it the <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610151/a-search-for-insomnia-genes-involving-13-million-people-is-the-largest-genetic-study-ever/">largest genetic study to date</a>, also depended on 23andMe and UK Biobank data for insight.
&#8220;Having so many research participants has been instrumental in making these kinds of genetic studies possible.&#8221;, said David Hinds, Ph.D., a research fellow and statistical geneticist at 23andMe. &#8220;This is part of what makes the 23andMe model unique.  Studies of very complex outcomes like educational attainment will require very large sample sizes, and this work demonstrates the value of the 23andMe model of genetics research as really a two-way process. Our customers choose to share all sorts of information about themselves with us, which enables us to make discoveries and share back more information about their genetics.&#8221;
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Massive study on the genetics of educational attainment

In the largest study of its kind to date, scientists have found new genetic associations for hay fever the most common type of allergy.
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The researchers uncovered 41 genetic associations with hay fever, according to the study published in the journal<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0157-1"> Nature Genetics</a>. Also known as allergic rhinitis, hay fever affects more than 400 million people worldwide and it is a seasonal condition triggered by environmental allergens like pollens that leads to sinus inflammation.
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&#8220;This is the largest genetic study ever conducted into hay fever,” <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/uoct-msi071718.php">said Klaus Bønnelykke,</a> one of the lead authors of the study and a researcher at the University of Copenhagen.
<div id="attachment_26347" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26347" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="size-large wp-image-26347" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Pollen.jpg 1254w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Unrecognizable Caucasian woman holding dandelion while seeds flying.</div>

Led by the team in Denmark, the study relied on data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, as well as data from individuals who participated in more than 30 other studies around the world. 
&nbsp;
The researchers took a two-step process — the first stage was a discovery stage and the second stage used a different set of data to replicate the findings from the first stage. Data from more than 900,000 individuals was used, and included both individuals with hay fever and those who do not have the condition.
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The researchers found that many of the genetic variants associated with hay fever are in or near genes that regulate the immune response, some of the variants were known to be associated with the condition, but 20 are new.
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“The risk genes we have mapped can help us understand what causes hay fever,” said Bønnelykke . “And in the longer term, this will be helpful when it comes to developing drugs and better treatments for the allergy.&#8221;
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But the study does not explain the rapid increase in the number of cases of hay fever worldwide, which has been described as reaching epidemic proportions. Lifestyle or environmental exposures are more likely to explain that increase, according to the researchers.

Large Study Finds Genetic Associations for Hay Fever

We know 23andMe customers want to access their genetic information and insights on whichever device they choose, so we’ve recently added an app to support the iPad.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ipadAC-211x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26333" width="211" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ipadAC-211x300.jpg 211w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ipadAC-619x880.jpg 619w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ipadAC.jpg 715w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 211px) 100vw, 211px" />
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The new <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/23andme/id952516687?mt=8">iPad app</a> is meant to meet growing demand from customers who want to access their genetic data while they’re away from their laptop or on the go. The iPad is an excellent device for kicking back and browsing all of the interesting reports, data, and charts available to 23andMe customers. 23andMe’s updated app makes wonderful use of the unique aspects and functionality of the tablet. Here are just a few examples:
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<ul>
<li>When viewing Ancestry Composition, the map of your ancestry is bigger, more interactive, and has excellent animations as you explore and dig into the data.</li>
<li>When viewing DNA Relatives from the Connections tab, you’ll have full access to all of the filters and sorting needed to narrow in on the relative with whom you’re looking to connect.</li>
<li>If you tap on a connection from your Connections list, the compare view contains more information at a glance and lets you quickly send messages back and forth from a sidebar.</li>
</ul>

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Beyond the new iPad app, 23andMe has made many improvements to our mobile apps over the last few months including:
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Faster startup times</li>
<li>An easy way to upload your profile photo using your phone.</li>
<li>A new research dashboard, which makes it easier to view unique 23andMe Research discoveries</li>
<li>A brand new Connections tab, where you can access your list of connections as well as DNA Relatives</li>
</ul>
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These are just a few of the improvements we’re making to the mobile experience for customers. Stay tuned; there’s more to come.

23andMe’s New iPad App

By Luis Nunez, Marketing Intern — Genetics Club  
I have always loved to play soccer. At a young age I trained daily, but as I grew older I realized it took more than just playing the game to perform at my best — it took a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/muscle-composition">weight lifting regimen</a>. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-227x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26325" width="227" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-227x300.jpg 227w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-768x1016.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-774x1024.jpg 774w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-665x880.jpg 665w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-892x1180.jpg 892w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Header-e1531349853445-scaled.jpg 1935w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px" />

For most of my childhood, I focused on being healthy so I could be a better soccer player, but that changed after I suffered a season ending injury. Now I am active and eat healthy not because of soccer but to take care of my overall health. 

Just like when I first learned that being a great soccer player meant doing more than just playing on  the field, I’m now learning that maintaining good health requires more. Knowledge is key.

This knowledge didn’t come easy. After fracturing a bone in my foot, and having to go through multiple surgeries due to complications, I wanted to know more about my own body and why I might have responded differently to various treatments. My doctors suggested that some complications that I experienced could have been influenced by my genetics. This intrigued me and I wanted to learn more. 

While going through different surgeries, I asked myself: What did I do wrong to be going through this horrific experience? But I soon realized that some things in life are out of my control. I decided to explore genetics and how my genes could affect both my health and my recovery. Although I can’t do anything about the genes I inherited, I do have the ability  to learn more about them and make better decisions based on what I learn. Also as an athlete, understanding my body and how it works is crucial to my overall performance. 

Finding accurate resources to learn about genetics can sometimes be difficult. At 23andMe, through the education website, you can learn about genetics in different ways. For example, through webinars or articles. You can also continue the conversation at your college by starting a Genetics Club where you can invite your friends to join the journey of learning about genetics with you. So don’t stop asking questions, stay curious, and join the 23andMe Genetics Club. Sign up today and keep the conversation about genetics going at:<a href="https://education.23andme.com/"> https://education.23andme.com/</a>
<div id="attachment_26323" style="width: 806px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26323" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-796x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-26323 size-large" width="796" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-796x1024.jpeg 796w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-768x988.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-233x300.jpeg 233w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-684x880.jpeg 684w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-918x1180.jpeg 918w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Sitting-with-soccer-ball-e1531349763936-scaled.jpeg 1991w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px" />Luis was born and raised in the Bay Area. He is a senior studying Marketing at Menlo College and plays collegiate soccer as a center midfielder. He loves soccer and has been playing since he was 6 years old. He also enjoys running and working out and loves to visit new coffee shops.</div>

Luis Nunez

Genetics with a kick, a soccer injury sparks a genetics education

We humans are incredibly adaptable, and the evidence for that is in our DNA.
We have survived and thrived around the world, even in<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/09/how-people-living-at-earths-extremes-reveal-the-genomes-best-tricks/408001/"> extreme environments</a>, not just because of our intelligence and culture, but because of our biology.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26216" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-300x184.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="184" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-300x184.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-768x471.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-880x540.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau-1180x724.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bajau.jpg 1308w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>Adaptations</h6>
Early this year, a<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867418303866?via%3Dihub"> study</a> of the Bajau — an ethnic Malay people who for a thousand years have lived in and around the ocean as so-called “Sea Nomads” — offers the latest example of how genetic adaptations have given some populations the advantage they need to survive.
The Bajau’s life at sea — spending hours diving for fish — created evolutionary pressure that favored a trait allowing them to hold their breath longer and dive deeper. Those who did not have that trait, researchers speculate, didn’t survive.
<h6>Hold Your Breath</h6>
The average person can hold their breath underwater for about a minute or two. With a little practice, a person can learn to push their underwater time to several minutes. But the research that was done by Melissa Ilardo, a University of Copenhagen, Ph.D. student, found that genetics also plays a role in their ability to dive longer and deeper than most people.
Bajau people have on average spleens that are 50 percent larger than other people of the same ethnic group, according to the research done by Ilardo. During a dive, the spleen contracts and this pushes out oxygen-rich blood into the circulatory system while they are holding their breath. The research found that there was a variant in the gene PDE104, which controls thyroid hormone and can lead to larger spleens. This variant was often found to appear in Bajau people.
<h6>Evolutionary Advantages</h6>
The study parallels research of evolutionary advantages among other populations in extreme environments around the globe.
For example, researchers have found a<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/breathless-over-new-finding-using-ancient-dna/"> genetic adaptation among Tibetans</a> who live at high altitudes where the level of oxygen is lower than at sea level. Tibetans were more likely to have variants on the EPAS1 gene that prevents blood thickening, a genetic advantage, and that this genetic advantage is something that was likely inherited from an ancient human cousin, the <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v512/n7513/full/nature13408.html">Denisovans</a>, more than 40,000 years ago.
Interestingly, the Denisovans may have also contributed to the genetic adaptation that has helped the Bajau. Along with the variants that influence spleen size among Bajau, researchers also found variants in higher frequency among the Bajau in the gene FAM178B, which is involved in helping the body maintain the proper pH balance in the blood, and is believed to have come from Denisovans.
The genetic research done among the Bajau and Tibetans points to the value of studying isolated populations who may provide valuable insights not just into human evolution but to the possible treatment of certain conditions that affect us all.

Diving Into The Genetic Adaptations of Sea Nomads

Genetic variants associated with the severity of symptoms of the chronic skin condition, rosacea, have been identified for the first time in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hmg/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/hmg/ddy184/4996740">a new study</a>. Despite rosacea affecting more than 16 million people in the United States alone, the cause of the common condition is unknown.  <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iStock-614644874-300x208.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26314" width="300" height="208" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iStock-614644874-300x208.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iStock-614644874.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Symptoms of rosacea can include flushing and persistent redness, in its more mild form, to pimple-like pustules that appear on the face. More severe cases include a thickening of the skin and an enlargement of the nose. Rosacea is three times more likely to affect women as it is men, but men tend to experience more severe symptoms.

This new study, published earlier this year in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/hmg/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/hmg/ddy184/4996740">Human Molecular Genetics</a>, found seven gene regions associated with symptom severity that play a role in skin pigmentation, immune response, and inflammation.  The findings give new insight into the underlying biology of the disease and may hold clues for identifying drug targets used to treat it, according to the researchers at GlaxoSmithKline who collaborated with 23andMe to conduct this research.  

“Most genetic studies focus on genetic factors that affect disease risk by comparing people with and without disease,” said Matt Nelson, head of Genetics at GlaxoSmithKline.  “The 23andMe survey data allowed us to investigate disease severity in people who have rosacea, identifying potential targets for drugs that can reverse the symptoms of disease.  This approach may be crucial for developing better drugs for treating chronic diseases.”
Three years ago, 23andMe and researchers at Stanford conducted the first genome-wide association <a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/press-releases/researchers-from-stanford-university-and-23andme-discover-genetic-links-to-rosacea/">study of rosacea risk</a>.  This latest study focuses on understanding rosacea symptom severity and is more than three times larger. 
The scientists at GlaxoSmithKline, with support from the PAREXEL Genomic Medicine team, used data from more than 73,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. The participants were of mostly European ancestry and answered questions about symptoms associated with rosacea. Scientists still don’t fully understand what causes the condition, but this study and others give vital clues as to the genes involved which was previously unknown.  

Beyond the findings themselves, the study highlights the power of 23andMe’s research model.

&#8220;This is a good example of how the 23andMe research model can lead to discoveries for common but understudied conditions. It would be very difficult and expensive to conduct a traditional genetic study of rosacea on this scale,” said 23andMe Research Fellow and Statistical Genetics David Hinds.

New Genetic Associations for Rosacea Found

Editor’s note: We first ran a version of this blog post a few years back and thought we’d revisit the topic for this year’s July 4th.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14170" width="1" height="1" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1-300x197.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1-271x149.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1-372x204.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/declaration_independence_70222_1-574x315.jpg 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1px) 100vw, 1px" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-26317 size-medium" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Declaration-of-Independence.jpg 1254w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Through the magic of the Internet, you can now examine the yellowing letters of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin’s first ideas for a colonial confederation in his own handwriting and early<a href="https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/images/frag1.jpg"> drafts of the U.S. Constitution</a> complete with strike-throughs and other edits.

For most Americans, especially on<a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2018/july4.html"> Independence Day</a>, looking at the handwritten notes of some of the country’s founders offers a visceral connection to the country’s beginning. Seeing their scratch marks on pages faded and wrinkled with age gives people a connection to their history. In some ways,<a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry/"> exploring your ancestry</a> through your DNA stirs up a similar emotional response.
The “writing” in our DNA doesn’t just tell us about ourselves; it tells us about our connection to human history. 
Within each of us is a genetic record of our ancestry, including on what branch of the world’s family tree our paternal or maternal lines belong. While none of the Founding Fathers were customers of 23andMe, we do know a little about their DNA because of publicly-available records of testing done on their direct descendants. 23andMe customers can look back not just at their own ancestry, but they can also see if they share a maternal or paternal line with the likes of Benjamin Franklin,<a href="http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/brief-biography-thomas-jefferson"> Thomas Jefferson</a>,<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnadams"> John Adams,</a> and<a href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=h000101"> Alexander Hamilton</a>.
Franklin’s maternal line, which traces from his mother to his mother’s mother and so on back in time, is <a href="https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2007/11/01/dna-analysis-of-5-people-who-helped-create-america/">Haplogroup V</a>. This branch of the human family tree is believed to have originated in Europe 12,000 years ago. Only about four percent of Europeans share this haplogroup, which is much more common among Finns, Sardinians, and Basques. Known for his wit and wisdom, Franklin also helped draft the Constitution and profoundly influence the character of the nation. 

Although he never became president he embodied what many believe to be the essence of what it means to be an American. Adams, a Harvard-trained lawyer who served as Vice President to George Washington and afterward the second US President, had the paternal haplogroup R1b1. This haplogroup also emerged out of Europe, but 30,000 years ago and is common among people of Irish, British, Dutch and German ancestry.

Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third US President, had the unusual paternal Haplogroup T, which is more common among people of the Middle East, although it is also found in England. Jefferson traced his paternal ancestry back to Wales where T is very rare. DNA has also factored into determining that the rumors that Jefferson fathered at least one child with his slave Sally Hemings are probably true.

Finally,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton"> Alexander Hamilton</a>, Washington’s Secretary of Treasury and the guy on the $10 bill, had a paternal <a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/g/a/gah4/HamDNA/Results.html">Haplogroup I1a</a>. This haplogroup is common among Finns, Norwegians and Swedes. 
As we consider our country’s forefathers this Independence Day, these influential men need not be distant historic figures. Rather, a closer look at our DNA may reveal that these men share something more.

Independence DNA

By Jey McCreight, PhD, Research Communications Scientist at 23andMe
Happy Pride! As June comes to an end, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate our LGBTQ+ research participants and employees. Whether they’re contributing data or analyzing it, the quality of our science wouldn’t be the same without them.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26303 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-1024x536.jpg" alt="An icon that includes the text &quot;Happy LGBTQ+ Pride Month&quot;" width="1024" height="536" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-768x402.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-880x461.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image-1180x618.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride-Social-Image.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h6>Latest Research</h6>
This is especially true for one of our latest research projects. Forming relationships is such an essential part of the human experience. With this in mind our Research Team is currently conducting a genome-wide association study of sexual orientation with a number of collaborators.
While investigating the genetics of sexual orientation is frequently controversial, we believe that good science can combat misinformation. For example, there is a common misconception, known as genetic essentialism, that genes completely and immutably determine traits. The reality, however, is that sexual orientation is 30 to 40 percent heritable. That estimate comes from studying identical and non-identical twins.<a id="a1" href="#f1">[1]</a> That range of heritability is similar to other traits such as being introverted or extroverted.
<h6>A Complex Trait</h6>
The genetic component is not due to a single “gay gene.” Rather it is a complicated architecture of many genetic variants contributing small effects. This is also due to the fact that sexual orientation is a very complex trait that encompasses many different aspects such as sexual attraction, sexual experience, and sexual identity. Given this moderate heritability, it’s likely that some people who identify as sexual minorities do not have the (yet to be discovered) genetic factors that associate with differences in sexual orientation. Similarly, it is likely that among people with these genetic factors, many identify as straight.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-26302" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-1024x520.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="520" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-1024x520.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-300x152.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-768x390.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-880x447.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018-1180x600.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pride2018.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />We want to make clear that studying sexual orientation by no means implies that same-sex attraction is a disease. That&#8217;s is an antiquated, harmful, and false idea. We are studying sexual orientation because we want to learn more about what makes us human. It&#8217;s also why we study <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/the-genetics-of-empathy/">how we feel empathy</a>, or what determines <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/untangling-the-genetics-of-hair-color/">hair color</a>, or whether we <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/23andme-adds-four-new-trait-reports/">like or hate cilantro</a>. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community who is both a 23andMe scientist and research participant, I’m excited to learn more about what makes me, me.
While the science of sexual orientation is moving forward, the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) has some catching up to do. When hostile environments push people out of STEM fields, we lose great minds that could have made the next big discovery. Unfortunately, this is not a hypothetical situation for many LGBTQ+ individuals.
<h6>Discrimination</h6>
For example, it’s still legal for employers to discriminate against someone for their sexual or gender identity in 28 states.<a id="a2" href="#f2">[2]</a> With the fear of being fired, harassed, or ostracized looming overhead, it’s unsurprising that over 40 percent of LGBTQ+ identified workers in STEM fields are not “out” to their colleagues.<a id="a3" href="#f3">[3]</a> “Out” LGBTQ+ workers are less likely to experience anxiety, isolation, and the feeling that their career has stalled compared to their closeted coworkers.<a id="a4" href="#f4">[4]</a>
Despite this, among “out” STEM faculty members, about 70 percent still felt uncomfortable in their department and were approximately 7 times more likely to experience exclusionary behavior by their colleagues.<a id="a5" href="#f5">[5]</a>
Even before beginning their careers, LGBTQ+ students are being lost from STEM fields. Undergraduate sexual minority students are 7 percent less likely to be retained in STEM compared to switching into a non-STEM program.<a id="a6" href="#f6">[6]</a> This is despite these students being more likely to have worked in a lab than their heterosexual counterparts, which is typically associated with retention in STEM fields.
<h6>23andMe&#8217;s Commitment</h6>
23andMe values diversity and makes it a priority to ensure that both our product and workplace are inclusive. Our Product Science team is currently working on separating biological sex and gender identity on user profiles. This is to make our product more inclusive to trans* and non-binary individuals. We’ve also shown our support by offering the same health care benefits to same-sex partners of employees. 23andMe recently sponsored the <a href="https://lesbianswhotech.org/sanfrancisco2018/">Lesbians Who Tech Summit.</a> We&#8217;re also printing rainbow chromosome shirts for Pride.
&#8220;At 23andMe we&#8217;ve always believed that the best science happens when everyone has the opportunity to participate,” says Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe CEO and co-founder. “We value all of our LGBTQ+ customers and employees and thank them for being an important part of our community!&#8221;
Fun shirts won’t single-handedly change the world, but letting employees know they can be proud of who they are is completely worth it. The communities I grew up in weren’t always supportive, but now I feel so lucky to work somewhere where LGBTQ+ individuals are welcomed and celebrated by our allies.
<footer class="footnotes">Footnotes:</footer>
<footer class="footnotes"><a id="f1" href="#a1">[1] </a> <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.157.11.1843">https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.157.11.184</a></footer>
<a href="#a2">[2] </a>http://www.hrc.org/state-maps/employment<a id="f2" href="#a2"></a>
<a id="f3" href="#a3">[3] </a> Jeremy B. Yoder &amp; Allison Mattheis. (2016) Queer in STEM: Workplace Experiences Reported in a National Survey of LGBTQA Individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers. Journal of Homosexuality, 63:1, 1–27, DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2015.1078632<a id="f4" href="#a4"></a>
<a id="f4" href="#a4">[4] </a> <a href="https://hbr.org/2011/07/for-lgbt-workers-being-out-brings-advantages">https://hbr.org/2011/07/for-lgbt-workers-being-out-brings-advantages</a>
<a id="f5" href="#a5">[5]</a><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262989539_Factors_impacting_the_academic_climate_for_LGBQ_STEM_faculty">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262989539_Factors_impacting_the_academic_climate_for_LGBQ_STEM_faculty</a>
<footer class="footnotes"></footer>
<a id="f6" href="#a6">[6]</a> <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/3/eaao6373.full">http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/3/eaao6373.full</a>
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