For years, there was an assumption that people with the condition <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/vitiligo">vitiligo</a> had increased risk for skin cancer because this autoimmune disease resulted in the loss of melanin, which helps to filter out cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
But it turns out that while lighter skinned people are more prone to skin cancer, losing melanin due to vitiligo doesn’t make you more prone to skin cancers. Surprisingly, studies have shown that having vitiligo is actually associated with a reduced risk for some skin cancers.
Scientists want to know why.
A<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X18317494"> new study</a> by researchers at Indiana University, Stanford University, Duke University and the University of Texas at Houston, offers some new insight into this perplexing puzzle. The study included data about 290,000 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research as well as data from another 2,800 individuals from the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“It’s interesting to find genes that increase the risk of vitiligo decrease the risk for melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, and vice-versa. It provides an important clue to this question.” said lead author of this paper, Wenting Wu, PhD, Assistant Research Professor of Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at Indiana University School of Medicine.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-1024x685.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-26209 size-large" width="1024" height="685" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-300x201.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-768x514.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-880x589.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image-1180x790.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/vitiligo-Image.jpg 1252w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Vitiligo causes the loss of pigmentation-producing cells called melanocytes, and that in turn leads to the development of patches of milky white areas on the skin. It can sometimes appear only on isolated areas of the body, one side of the body, or the entire body. The late pop star Michael Jackson is probably one of the most famous persons to have the condition, which usually starts on sun-exposed areas first like the hands, arms, and face. Typically it emerges between the ages of 10 and 30, and the condition is sometimes associated with other autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disease.
For this study, researchers compared known genetic associations for vitiligo to genetic associations with a risk for melanoma. The researchers were able to first confirm an inverse relationship between the risks for vitiligo and skin cancer, and then they identified genetic variants in four genes that play a role in pigmentation or immune response. It is interesting to find that immune-related SNPs, which encode important immunoregulative proteins, showed consistent inverse relationships between vitiligo and skin cancers.
“Overall, the inverse relationship might indicate that different or opposed biological pathways mediate vitiligo and skin cancer, or vitiligo might lead to enhanced immune activity against both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer,” said corresponding author of this paper, Jiali Han, PhD, a professor and chair of Department of Epidemiology at Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI, and Rachel Cecile Efroymson Professor of Cancer Research at Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center.
The full study can be found in<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X18317494?via%3Dihub"> The Journal of Investigative Dermatology</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Study digs into why loss of skin pigmentation from vitiligo also reduces skin cancer risk

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re taking a moment to highlight how anyone can be there for the people in their lives by starting a conversation about mental health. 

Whether it’s through advocating on someone’s behalf, or by simply listening, there are many ways to demonstrate your support. Now, 23andMe has added another way to help called Friends of Depression and Bipolar. As the first phase of 23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/depression-bipolar/">depression and bipolar study</a> draws to a close, we have launched this next phase of the study that focuses on individuals who do not have a diagnosis of depression or bipolar and are interested in participating in the research. As part of this effort, we are recruiting 25,000 existing 23andMe customers who do not have a diagnosis of depression or bipolar. The research from this next part of the study will help scientists to understand if certain genetic markers and lifetime experiences are more common in people living with these illnesses. 

“As someone who works in the mental health space, I am regularly reminded of the importance of language.,” said Annie Blaine, the Marketing + Development Manager, Bring Change 2 Mind. “A kind word, an understanding tone, and a listening ear go further than any of us could ever imagine. These moments of empathy are invaluable for creating connection and for erasing stigma. And, as someone who has loved ones who are taking part in 23andMe’s depression and bipolar study, I know how critical this research is for providing hope. In the world of uncertainty that often surrounds mental illness, this study offers a chance for the answers and solutions that we are all seeking to lead full and productive lives.” 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-26202" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />


Participants in Friends of Depression and Bipolar will be asked to complete the same research activities as those participants living with depression or bipolar. Along the way, scientists will compare survey responses, cognitive assessments, and genetic data from both groups and try to identify what makes people living with depression and bipolar unique. In the first few weeks of enrollment, we have already recruited over 6,000 participants. 

Participating in research is just one of many ways to create more awareness and to support everyone living with a mental illness. Another way is talking about mental health with the people in your life. But, whether you are living with a mental illness or you want to reach out to someone about their mental health, we know that initiating these conversations is often daunting. That’s why we’re excited to share some resources developed by Bring Change to Mind (BC2M) that address this exact concern. 

BC2M is a national organization focused on ending the stigma surrounding mental illness through encouraging dialogue and raising awareness, understanding, and empathy. Additionally, BC2M acts as a portal to a broad coalition of organizations that provide mental health services, screening, information, support, and treatment. 
BC2M believes that every individual who speaks out inspires another. And another. Which is how we’ll end the stigma around mental illness. But, BC2M also recognizes that one of the biggest challenges in discussing mental health is getting started. So, BC2M developed a <a href="https://bringchange2mind.org/talk/talk-tool/">Talk Tool</a>, which was launched as part of their fifth PSA, <a href="https://bringchange2mind.org/learn/psas/talk-to-anyone">Talk to Anyone</a>, to offer helpful tips on how to start conversations that touch on various diagnoses and relationships. Not every conversation will be perfect, but each one fights the stigma around mental illness. And, that’s a conversation worth having. <a href="https://bringchange2mind.org/talk/talk-tool">Visit the BC2M Talk Tool today, and start your own mental health conversation!</a> <a href="https://bringchange2mind.org/talk/talk-tool"></a>

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

There aren’t Mother’s Day cards for moments like this.
<div id="attachment_26197" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26197" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Doug-Patricia-300x200.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26197 size-medium" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Doug-Patricia-300x200.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Doug-Patricia.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Doug and his biological mother Patricia.</div>
Five 23andMe customers came together this past week to reunite with the biological mother’s they found through 23andMe to celebrate their first Mother’s Day. One even met her biological mother for the very first time at this reunion. But what do you say? 

Each of them — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaGUyrlp9ac">Doug</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Cx89m8JHs">Tracy</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmjhNrrWAH0">Tiffany</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r0lb0iGcnA">Megan</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKY03NhIAOI">Amanda</a> were adopted and had loving families who raised them. They each have mothers. But they also yearned to know more about the women who gave birth to them. When they finally found them, they searched for the right words to say.

Sitting with her son Doug Clarke, her arm linked in his, a beaming Patricia Johnson, said she’d never stopped thinking of him in the more than five decades since she put him into adoption. She always had a feeling of emptiness not knowing what had become of her son, so when they finally found each other, his words were the best present she could have ever received.

&#8220;And one of the first things this man said to me was,” she said halting with emotion. “He thanked me for giving him a beautiful life,” said Patricia, who added that making that connection filled her heart.
<iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" align="aligncenter " src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UJhZGZ4Ts8Q" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">?</iframe> 
A sense of gratitude permeated much of what each of these customers said as they sat and spoke in person with their biological mothers for what would be their first Mother’s Day celebration, a brunch in New York City.

For Tiffany Cross, finding her biological mother answered so many questions, but beyond that, it added to the important women in her life.

“I have my mom, my stepmom, and mother-in-law, and now I’ve added another mom to my Mother’s Day crew,” Tiffany said.
For the mothers, who spent so many years wondering what had become of the children they’d given up for adoption, seeing them and knowing that they’d had good lives and they’d thrived to become beautiful adults was the most important gift of all.

Josephine Jones spent years wondering what had happened to her daughter Tracy Delgado, who she thought of every day. As a teenage mom, Josephine was told that it would be detrimental for her to keep her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, so she decided to give her up for adoption. Now all those years later, she didn’t know what her daughter would think of her if they ever met again, but she was waiting and hoping she would get in touch.

“I thought maybe when she turned 21 she would try to call, so we kept the same phone number for 30 something years,” Josephine said.

That phone eventually rang.

Her daughter, Tracy expressed some of the same feelings felt by others when she said that finding her biological mother and learning that her mother had never forgotten her and was searching too, healed something inside her.

“I feel so complete like a missing piece of me,” Tracy said. “I feel whole now.”

To all the mothers out there — adoptive moms, birth moms, stepmoms, mothers-in law  — Happy Mother’s Day from 23andMe. 

Check out the stories from 23andMe’s Mother’s Day brunch here.

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			</dt>
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				From left to right, Chelsea, her cousin Niki, Chelsea&#8217;s mom Tracy, and Tracy&#8217;s biological mother JosephineTracy, and Josephine
				</dd></dl><dl class='gallery-item'>
			<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>
				<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Tiffany-and-her-biological-mother--300x200.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="" aria-describedby="gallery-1-26196" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Tiffany-and-her-biological-mother--300x200.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Tiffany-and-her-biological-mother-.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
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				Tiffany, center, and her biological mother Terry (on the left) and her adoptive mom, Linda.
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Happy Mother’s Day

Along with budding blossoms, sniffles and sneezing are another right of spring for millions of people with common allergies, and for humans it’s more than just a runny nose.
<div id="attachment_26256" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26256" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="size-large wp-image-26256" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dandelion-Allergies.jpg 1254w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Dandelion seeds in the sunlight blowing away across a fresh green morning background</div>
In the United States alone, allergies are the <a href="https://acaai.org/allergies/types/pollen-allergy">sixth leading cause of chronic disease</a>. 

In the same way that it is not one grain of pollen that triggers an allergic response but millions, a new study has found that the genetics behind allergies work in much the same way, with many genetic variants each with a small effect contributing to susceptibility to allergies, hay fever and eczema.

The study, led by Manuel Ferreira, Ph.D of the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane Australia, was a follow-up on a large<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3985"> genome-wide association study</a> done by the same team last year that identified more than 100 genetic variants associated with all three of the conditions. The data used for that study included data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research, as well as data from the UK Biobank.
For this study, the researchers were build off the  insight out from their previous research by taking a slightly different approach. Instead of conducting another genome-wide association study to find associations for each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), the team completed a gene-based analysis, which looked at genes across the genome.
These kinds of methods “improve power over the alternative approach of testing each SNP,” the study authors said.
Also, the researchers focused only on genetic variants known as “expression quantitative trait loci” (eQTL), which influence the expression of that of a gene. By focusing only on these variants, researchers believe they are more likely to find variants associated with common diseases and traits like allergies. In this case, the scientists identified 11 variants that were not previously known to be associated with a shared risk for asthma, hay fever, and eczema. The variants were in or near nine genes with a function that is relevant to the allergic response, according to the researchers.
“Our genetic findings suggest that drugs that target these genes might have an increased probability of success if prioritized for clinical development,” the researchers concluded.

The Shared Genetics of Allergies, Hay Fever and Eczema

At 23andMe, we are committed to accelerating and advancing Parkinson’s disease research. So when April comes around, employees make a point of honoring Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
As we’ve done in the past, this year, 23andMe employees organized a fundraiser and participated in a walk at the May 6th Moving Day event in San Francisco organized by The Parkinson’s Foundation.
<h6>A Special Day</h6>
This year’s fundraiser was extra special because it coincided with 23andMe’s 12th anniversary on April 27th! It included a bake sale, a silent auction, and probably the most fun event of all, an employee talent show in front of the entire company.
<div id="attachment_26183" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26183" class="size-large wp-image-26183" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PD-Moving-Day-1180x885.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />From left to right: Fah Sathirapongsasuti, Briana Cameron, Sarah Laskey, Olga Sazonova, Karl Heilbron, Rajan Patel, Cody Sam, Ksenia Kriksunov, Margaret Adams, and Liz Noblin.</div>
“How many adults get to participate in a talent show at work? Not many,” said Patricia Penton, a 23andMe employee and one of last year’s talent show performers. “And how many adults get to participate in a talent show at work to raise funds for Parkinson’s disease research? Probably just us. That’s pretty awesome.”
<h6>Raising Awareness and Raising Money</h6>
What’s even more awesome is that, together, 23andMe employees were able to raise money for Parkinson’s disease research. 23andMe has participated in the Moving Day event since 2016, and has raised close to $50,000 for this event since then.
23andMe’s commitment to Parkinson’s research goes back to some of our <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002141">earliest published work</a>, and our Parkinson’s disease community which has been a great partner in advancing this research. We will continue to build this community, which is focused on better understanding the role of genetics in this disease. Our goal is to improve diagnosis and treatment, and maybe even help find a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
<h6>Fox Insight</h6>
With that in mind, last fall, we <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/new-parkinsons-disease-research-collaboration-michael-j-fox-foundation/">expanded</a> our long-running partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to join forces and extend MJFF’s online clinical study, <a href="https://foxinsight.michaeljfox.org/">Fox Insight</a>, to 23andMe customers with Parkinson’s disease.
Through Fox Insight, people with and without Parkinson’s are providing researchers with critical insights about the lived experience and variability of the disease, simply by answering health-related survey questions. More than 18,000 participants have already enrolled, but that’s just the beginning. The study aims to recruit tens of thousands more participants, because a large, diverse group has great potential to lead to a better understanding of Parkinson’s disease.
<div id="attachment_26189" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26189" class="wp-image-26189 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8133-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Multi-talents Thao Do and Aaron Petrakovitz show off their ballroom dancing moves.</div>
<div id="attachment_26188" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-26188" class="wp-image-26188 size-medium" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/IMG_8094-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Sloshing around the gene pool were one of this year&#8217;s talent show acts the &#8220;Synchronized Scientists.&#8221;</div>
Eligible Fox Insight participants with Parkinson’s can help researchers gain a holistic picture of the disease by joining the Fox Insight Genetic Sub-study, powered by 23andMe. To sign up, individuals first need to join Fox Insight and complete some basic study steps. Eligible enrollees are then invited to participate in the sub-study. Through this sub-study, eligible participants can also receive genetic counseling at no cost.
23andMe customers with Parkinson’s disease are welcome to enroll in Fox Insight and share their genetic data through the Fox Insight Genetic Sub-study. Participants’ de-identified genetic data will be coupled with survey response data and made available to qualified researchers at 23andMe and other organizations to drive Parkinson’s disease research and development of new treatments. <a href="https://foxinsight.michaeljfox.org/">Learn more</a>.

Honoring Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Soccer fans in the United States have a long tradition of enduring disappointment, but the US Men National Team’s elimination late last year from the World Cup left many wondering which team to cheer for at this year&#8217;s tournament in Russia.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2-300x300.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26170" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-roots-2.png 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

It’s the first time since 1990 that the team has been eliminated. So fans in the United States won’t get the chance to watch their team hold Brazil to a single goal, yes that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDGxXrCb9xw">happened</a>. Or see the team notch an <a href="https://www.si.com/longform/soccer-goals/goal5.html#colombian">improbable victory over, say, Colombia</a>, as they did way back in 1994. 

So, apart from waiting until the next World Cup in 2022, or simply watching the women’s team play next year, what is a soccer nut to do?

Here’s an idea — why not pick a team based on your genetic ancestry?

23andMe makes this a breeze with a new in-product featured called “Root for your Roots.” This allows customers to use their DNA to connect with a team that’s playing in this year’s World Cup.

Starting this week, 23andMe customers who log into their report will see a new feature that will surface those countries in the tournament that they have the strongest DNA connections with. Based on our internal data, the majority of customers have direct DNA links to the following countries (in order of most prevalent):

<ol>
<li> UK,</li>
<li> Mexico</li>
<li> Poland</li>
<li> Germany</li>
<li> Russian Federation</li>
</ol>

But even if one of your strongest DNA connections isn’t with a team you are interested in rooting for, you can pick more distant matches or a “wildcard” team with whom you have no connection, maybe an underdog team such as  <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/sports/soccer/iceland-world-cup-qualifying.html">Iceland</a> or <a href="https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/04/27/how-tragedy-turned-to-talent-and-triumph-for-egypts-national-team/">Egypt</a>. 

23andMe linked up with <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup">Fox Sports</a>, the exclusive broadcaster of the World Cup in the U.S., and launched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2r5jQfdV3k&#038;feature=youtu.be">“Root for Your Roots”</a> campaign last month. The World Cup is a truly huge global phenomenon that brings together international fans who all share the same love of what’s known as the “beautiful game.”
“We hope this collaboration becomes a new way for people to experience global events like the World Cup,” said Tracy Keim, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at 23andMe. “We are creating an authentic experience that can open our minds and bring people together to celebrate diversity, and our global teams rooted in our DNA.”
&nbsp;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-1024x565.png" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-26169" width="1024" height="565" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-1024x565.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-300x166.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-768x424.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-880x486.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-1180x651.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-271x149.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1-372x204.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Root-for-your-Roots-1.png 1487w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

World Cup Fans You Can Root for Your Roots

A new study found that many common genetic variants together explain why migraines cluster in some families.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Migraine-Photo-200x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-19308 size-medium" title="migraines" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Migraine-Photo-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Migraine-Photo.jpg 566w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
The <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(18)30322-2">study</a>, lead by scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute and the University of Helsinki, investigated three subtypes of migraines. Researchers used data from about 1,500 Finnish families. 
It is the largest ever study of families with migraine. 23andMe was one of more than a dozen institutions that contributed to this study. 
“Both rare, high-impact and common genetic variants with smaller impact could contribute to the familial aggregation of migraine,” said Padhraig Gormley, Ph.D, a lead author of the study who works at the Broad Institute. “In this study, we wanted to find out which one is more important and whether the genetic load is higher in certain types of migraine.”
<h6>Migraine Subtypes</h6>
Migraines — the severe recurring headaches that may include symptoms such as nausea and light sensitivity — are fairly common. They affect an estimated 20 percent of the population. About a third of those with migraines experience additional neurological symptoms, referred to as aura. These often occur just before or during a migraine. 
Researchers looked at whether there were different genetic mechanisms involved in two subtypes of migraines with aura. The two of subtypes were migraines with typical visual aura, and the less common subtype, hemiplegic migraines, which are accompanied by a motor weakness aura. Scientists had previously identified genetic variants associated with this common brain disorder. But there is still much to learn about the underlying biology. One lingering question is why the condition clusters in families, and that’s what this study focused on.
Two years ago this same consortium of scientists conducted what was at that time the largest genome-wide association<a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.3598.html"> study</a> of migraines ever done. That study found more than 40 genetic variants associated with the condition.
<h6>Polygenic Score </h6>
For this most recent study, the researchers wanted to determine if rare variants or a combination of rare and common variants could explain why migraines cluster in some families. As in the last study, this one relied in part on a meta-analysis of data gathered together from 22 different genome-wide association studies. Together this included data from more than 375,000 people, and about 170,000 of those individuals are 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research.
By using this data, the researchers were able to create something called a “polygenic risk score,” gathering together all the variants that contributed to risk for migraines identified in these studies. This model was then used in studying a smaller cohort of Finnish families with migraines. 
<h6>Risk in Families</h6>
The scientists were interested in seeing if there was a difference in comparing the genetic risk within families to risk for migraines in the general population, as well as looking to see if these differences could be explained by the accumulation of common variants or the contribution of a few rare variants. They were particularly interested in looking at hemiplegic aura migraines, which were thought to be caused by rare genetic variants in three genes.
But what the researchers found across the board was that the combined effect of common variants was greater than the effect of any rare variants.
“Our study supports the hypothesis that migraine subtypes are genetically heterogeneous diseases, and that common polygenic variation significantly contributes to the aggregation of the disease in families, both for common and rare migraine subtypes”, said Aarno Palotie, Ph.D, another study author who works at the University of Helsinki.
The study was conducted in collaboration with members of the<a href="http://www.headachegenetics.org/"> International Headache Genetics Consortium</a> and the 23andMe <a href="https://research.23andme.com/research/">Research Team</a>.
Read more on the study in the publication <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/pdfExtended/S0896-6273(18)30322-2">Cell</a>.

Largest-ever family study of migraines provides new insight into the disease

It’s 23andMe’s birthday today.

Don’t worry if you didn’t get us something. The best present of all are <a href="https://www.23andme.com/stories/">the stories</a> we hear every day from customers who’ve shared with us how 23andMe has impacted their lives. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor-300x184.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-26160 size-medium" height="184" width="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor-300x184.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor-768x470.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor-1024x627.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor-880x538.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Chromosomescolor.png 1149w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Those never get old.

But we can’t let our 12th anniversary pass without marking a few milestones, and the biggest one starts with a “B,” as in “Billion.” 

That is the number of phenotypic data points customers have shared with us for research — actually now more than 1.4 billion — making 23andMe by far the largest research database of genotypic and phenotypic information in the world.

A phenotypic data point is a nerdy way of describing the data from our customers answering questions about things like their health history, ancestry, lifestyle, and traits. It’s this data, along with genotypic data that help inform our research. And each one of those bits of data adds to the power of 23andMe’s unique research engine. It’s that kind of “big data” horsepower that allows scientists here to reveal the biology of rare diseases, and find associations between disease and rare genetic variants, for instance.

This data has also allowed 23andMe to begin developing new types of polygenic risk reports. These will take into account not just a handful or even a few dozen genetic variants associated with a specific condition, but thousands of different variants that each have a small effect but that taken together will more accurately predict a risk.
And this data has allowed 23andMe scientists — often in collaboration with researchers at other institutions — to conduct studies on specific conditions that are consistently the largest of their kind. The largest genome-wide associations studies<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3623"> on major depressive disorder</a>, or<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3955?foxtrotcallback=true"> Parkinson’s disease</a> or even<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/new-research-finds-genetic-association-detached-earlobes/"> common traits</a>, for instance.

This gets us to another big milestone, one hundred. That’s the number of<a href="https://research.23andme.com/publications/"> papers that have been published</a> by 23andMe and its collaborators on topics as wide-ranging as<a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(18)31749-4/abstract"> skin cancer</a>,<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03819-3"> depression</a>,<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0100-5"> hair color</a> and<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-017-0082-6"> autism</a>.
We have a lot to celebrate, but like any 12-year-old we’ve really just begun. We’re looking forward at what is possible when consumers are empowered to explore their own DNA and invited to participate in groundbreaking research.

A Special Day for 23andMe

Becca Krock, PhD, Product Scientist
Maybe you spat in the tube and wondered: “Why is there DNA in my spit in the first place?”

Or you got your reports and thought: &#8220;What exactly makes my DNA different from someone else&#8217;s?&#8221;<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-300x248.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26142" width="300" height="248" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-300x248.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-768x634.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-1024x845.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-880x726.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery-1180x974.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/DNA-Discovery.png 1270w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

As scientists at 23andMe, we hear all the time from people who have questions about the bedrock concepts that make personal genetic testing possible.

That&#8217;s why we&#8217;ve launched a new interactive learning website called <a href="https://education.23andme.com/dna-discovery/#">Interactive DNA Discovery</a>. I worked with Thao Do, Ph.D., 23andMe’s Education and Academia Marketing Manager, and Chelsea Robertson, Ph.D., one of our product scientists, to develop the site. 

&#8220;As a scientist, I saw the magnificent beauty of the world that lies inside of all of us and I wanted to share that wonder with everyone,&#8221; Thao said. 

To do that, our team decided to create a portal that would enable people to learn about genetics quickly and in a way that&#8217;s interactive and fun. 
&#8220;Learning should be entertaining. It should feel like you&#8217;re playing a game,&#8221; she said.

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-26141-1" width="640" height="360" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://education.23andme.com/wp-content/themes/23andMe/media/dna-quiz/videos/Card-1.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://education.23andme.com/wp-content/themes/23andMe/media/dna-quiz/videos/Card-1.mp4">https://education.23andme.com/wp-content/themes/23andMe/media/dna-quiz/videos/Card-1.mp4</a></video></div>
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Visitors to the <a href="https://education.23andme.com/dna-discovery/#">Interactive DNA Discovery</a> page will encounter sixteen mini-lessons on everything from where DNA is located in the body, to the meaning of the word &#8220;genome&#8221; and technologies used to study it. 

The lessons are designed so that you can either master each concept in order, or hop around and explore topics that catch your eye. Chelsea called that a &#8220;choose-your-own-adventure&#8221; structure. 

&#8220;We want to allow people to start wherever they feel comfortable and move in nonlinear ways through the things that are most interesting to them,&#8221; she explained. 

Each lesson also has an animation or illustration as well as a knowledge checkpoint question that you can (optionally!) quiz yourself on. Through our experiences working at 23andMe we&#8217;ve learned that people consume information in all kinds of ways. Thao, Chelsea, and I wanted the Interactive DNA Discovery page to work for everyone, no matter their learning style, whether they&#8217;re a visual learner or prefer reading, whether their last biology class was five years ago, forty years ago, or never. We even envision the Interactive DNA Discovery page being a resource for people who are in biology class learning about genetics right now. 

&#8220;It&#8217;s something that I wish I had when I was learning,&#8221; Thao told me. &#8220;The resources I had were just textbooks and slides. For me, I wish I had something where I could just play around with it.&#8221; 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image-1024x864.png" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-26143" width="1024" height="864" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image-1024x864.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image-300x253.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image-768x648.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image-880x742.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Your-Traits-Image.png 1036w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
 

Genetics is increasingly making the leap out of the classroom and the laboratory and into our everyday lives. Questions that were theoretical in the past now have direct relevance for our health decisions and policies. And scientists continue to uncover new complexities in our genetic machinery. We want this molecular universe whirring along inside each of us to be open for everyone to explore.
 Besides creating a new lens into that universe, the concepts in the Interactive DNA Discovery page provide a solid base of knowledge to jump off of, whether your next step is diving deeper into your 23andMe reports, or exploring more about genetics. Or maybe you&#8217;re totally satisfied with having your mind blown by the fact that you have six feet of DNA coiled up inside almost every one of your cells. Whatever you choose, we&#8217;re excited to share our passion for genetics with you.

Latest Posts — Page 80