This is part two of our introduction of 23andMe’s new class of summer interns. You can see the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/introducing-23andmes-2021-summer-interns-part-i/">first batch of interns here</a>. This second group of interns will also be working across the company in roles with engineering, computational biology, statistical genetics, design, and IT.
Read on to learn more about this next group of interns. 
If you want to learn more about our intern program, check out the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/careers/">23andMe Careers page.</a> We’ll be posting more details about the program in the fall when we begin recruiting for the next class of interns.  If you still have questions email <a href="mailto:internships@23andme.com">internships@23andme.com.</a> 

<h3>Ludovico Verniani<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29000" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>iOS Engineering Intern</h6>
Ludovico loves solving real world problems with software and finds much pleasure in learning new technologies to solve them. He is thrilled to bring his creativity to the iOS team this summer to further improve the public&#8217;s discovery of their genome.

<h3>Taylor Cavazos<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29009" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Computational Biologist Intern</h6>
Taylor is passionate about understanding the genetic architecture of complex traits and developing genetic models that are accurate in diverse populations. She is looking forward to incorporating functional genomics data to explore these questions as a Computational Biologist Intern on the Therapeutics team.

<h3>Bhairavi Swaminathan<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29008" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Statistical Genetics Intern</h6>
Decoding the genome has always excited Bhairavi. She spent over 10 years of her career exploring her interest in identifying susceptibility markers and disease mechanisms. She is enthralled by the opportunity to work with the Statistical Genetics team to fine-map susceptibility genes  to identify causal variants.

<h3>Tiffany Lee<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29007" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-574x574.jpg 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Engineering Intern</h6>
Tiffany is interested in encouraging individual health ownership through easy and accessible health management. She has worked in biotech, pharmacy, and is now working on a post-baccalaureate in computer science. Tiffany is really excited to be joining as an Engineering Intern and being a part of making health information approachable.

<h3>Jason Chan<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29006" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-372x372.jpg 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>UX Design Intern</h6>
Jason is a self-taught UX Designer passionate about developing creative solutions in the healthcare space. He is excited to be joining the Product Design team and contributing to the mission to help customers learn about their genetics in a user-friendly way!

<h3>Kunling Huang<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29005" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Computational Biologist Intern</h6>
Kunling is enthusiastic about designing statistical methods to discover the role of genetic variants. She is really excited to work with the Computational Biology Group in Therapeutics to discover novel disease genes.

<h3>Christina Li<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29004" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Office of the CEO, Archive Intern</h6>
Christina is deeply interested in the subjects of public health, policy, data science, and the ways in which various mediums of storytelling can communicate the most critical issues of healthcare today. She is thrilled to be joining the Office of the CEO as an Archive Intern and telling the story of the company&#8217;s history through its archives.

<h3>Marcos Sandoval<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29003" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>IT Help Desk Intern</h6>
Marcos is an enterprising future IT professional eager to grow and learn as a professional at 23andMe. He can&#8217;t wait to meet everyone and to work with the IT Team to provide IT Solutions for the 23andMe family.

<h3>Cindy Mui<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29002" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cindy-Mui-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></h3>
<h6>Engineering Intern</h6>
Cindy is a newly minted Software Engineer who is interested in the application of machine learning in healthcare. She&#8217;s really excited to be joining the Engineering team as an Intern to help create the best user experiences for 23andMe&#8217;s customers.

<h3>Kenneth Nguyen<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29001" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Headshot-Kenneth-Nguyen-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Headshot-Kenneth-Nguyen-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Headshot-Kenneth-Nguyen-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h3>
<h6>Engineering Intern</h6>
Kenneth is excited to be joining 23andMe as a software engineer intern and working on developing customer-facing features, learning new technologies, and utilizing accessibility tools to impact a broader audience.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Summer Interns 2021, Part II

 Introducing 23andMe’s 2021 Summer Interns, Part I

23andMe’s CEO and Co-founder Anne Wojcicki rang the opening bell on<a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/"> Nasdaq</a> Thursday morning, celebrating our first day as a publicly-traded company.
Anne took a moment during the virtual bell-ringing ceremony to thank customers, employees, and investors for their support. From the company’s founding in 2006, 23andMe (Nasdaq: ME)&nbsp; hasn’t wavered from its mission to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. Now more than ever, the time is ripe for 23andMe to change how people engage in their health, and to improve how new genetic research and drug discovery are done.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28989" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/mo-06172112-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
Below is a version of the remarks Anne shared during the ceremony:
In 2005 I was working on Wall Street investing in health care when I had a call with a genetic researcher. I asked him about the state of genetics research and he said, “The excitement is palpable. Everything is going to change. We are going to understand the human genetic code.”
The sense of excitement that I felt in that conversation in 2005 remains with me today. We are unlocking one of the most exciting human mysteries. This simple code &#8211; A C G and T &#8211; has built this incredible world, all this diversity. It is truly amazing. 

I want to thank our customers &#8211; all 11M of you. It has been a journey! Together we have shown the world that you are capable of getting YOUR genetic information and learning about your <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health and ancestry</a> &#8211; all without the supervision of a medical professional. You are far more capable of understanding science or taking charge of your health than the world believes. I want to thank you for believing in 23andMe and trusting us to unlock your DNA. We are committed to being your advocate and to always providing you transparency and choice with how your DNA is used. We will always make decisions based on what is best for you.
23andMe was founded in 2006 with a passion and love for genetics and a desire to empower individuals to be in control of their health. I was surrounded by incredible co-workers then and I am lucky to have been surrounded by incredible people ever since. As I think about how we have gotten to this day, I want to thank everyone who has ever worked at 23andMe. We have an incredible Gene Pool. It is a true honor to have so many talented people working on this dream and making today happen. I have my moments where I sometimes just sit back and marvel &#8211; you are all SO good. So thanks to all of you. 

I also want to thank my investors and my board. You have stuck with me through hard times and good times. You have provided incredible insights and support. This has not been easy but the work we are doing genuinely changes the world. Thank you for helping us get to this moment &#8211; this is just the beginning of our story.
Lastly, I want to conclude with where we are going. 23andMe is more than just a genetics company. We are an activist brand that is approaching health care and drug discovery with the individual at the center, as our partner. We are going to continue pioneering a consumer-centered personalized health care world. We are going to show that drug discovery can be more efficient when you start with a human genetic insight. Over the past 15 years our mission has never wavered: to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. In the next phase of the company, I want to show all of you that you are benefiting from the human genome by actually living a longer, healthier life.&nbsp; 

I want to end with a quote from one of my colleagues when I asked him why he has stayed at the company for over a decade. He responded with a quizzical look: “If we don’t do this work, no one will.”&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Thank you to everyone. What we do is important. You are changing the world.&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ringing in 23andMe’s Next Chapter

23andMe joined over 100 other companies, to stand up for equity and against state legislation that discriminates against the LGBTQ+ community. <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/business-statement-on-anti-lgbtq-state-legislation">The Human Rights Campaign</a> released a statement condemning this harmful state legislation for companies to sign. <a href="https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbt-rights-across-country">The legislation</a> efforts in question bar transgender people from participating in sports, having their gender identity reflected on IDs, and receiving necessary healthcare. <a href="https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbt-rights-across-country">Other bills</a> limit LGBTQ+ couples from starting a family via adoption or foster care.
“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,” wrote Jey McCreight, PhD, Science Communication Sr. Program Manager at 23andMe.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="536" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-1024x536.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28959" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-1024x536.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-300x157.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-768x402.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-880x461.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image-1180x618.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/equality-image.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
23andMe has set specific objectives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion focused on building a more inclusive and accessible product for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community. Customer reports separate biological sex from gender identity. In addition, the research team is examining how genetics can impact gender identity and <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/sexual-behavior-not-meaningfully-predicted-by-genetics-new-study-finds/">same-sex sexual behavior</a>. Customer surveys always use inclusive language. This strong support of the LGBTQ+ community is not only drawn from the company value of “we’re in this together,” but the value of trusting science.
“People who fear or distrust trans people often use ‘biology’ as a justification for attacking this community. But the reality is that the biology of sex and gender is more complicated than a simple binary,” explained Dr. McCreight. “Regardless of what science says, everyone should still treat trans people with respect because it’s just the right thing to do. But if you want to claim you ‘trust the science’ in order to attack trans people, then sorry – the science says that trans rights are human rights.”
As a company committed to uplifting LGBTQ+<a href="https://www.23andme.com/diversity-equity-inclusion"> employees</a> and customers and leading with science, 23andMe signed the Human Rights Campaign’s business statement this June in opposition to these unjust anti-LGBTQ+ state laws.
The statement reads: 
The companies joining this statement do business, create jobs, and serve customers throughout the United States. Our businesses strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because we want everyone who works for us or does business with us to feel included and welcomed as their true, authentic selves. Fairness, equal treatment, and opportunity are central to our corporate values because we care about our employees and the customers we serve. What’s more, these values also matter to our bottom lines. Inclusive business practices lead to more productive and engaged employees, increased customer satisfaction; and, ultimately, improved competitiveness and financial performance.
We are deeply concerned by the bills being introduced in state houses across the country that single out LGBTQ individuals &#8211; many specifically targeting transgender youth &#8211; for exclusion or differential treatment. Laws that would affect access to medical care for transgender people, parental rights, social and family services, student sports, or access to public facilities such as restrooms, unnecessarily and uncharitably single out already marginalized groups for additional disadvantage. They seek to put the authority of state government behind discrimination and promote mistreatment of a targeted LBGTQ population.
These bills would harm our team members and their families, stripping them of opportunities and making them feel unwelcome and at risk in their own communities. As such, it can be exceedingly difficult for us to recruit the most qualified candidates for jobs in states that pursue such laws, and these measures can place substantial burdens on the families of our employees who already reside in these states. Legislation promoting discrimination directly affects our businesses, whether or not it occurs in the workplace.
As we make complex decisions about where to invest and grow, these issues can influence our decisions. America’s business community has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws have a negative effect on our employees, our customers, our competitiveness, and state and national economies.
As business leaders dedicated to equal treatment, respect, and opportunity for all &#8211; as well as to improving the financial and investment climate across the country &#8211; we call for public leaders to abandon or oppose efforts to enact this type of discriminatory legislation and ensure fairness for all Americans.
To learn more about these proposed bills and take a stand alongside 23andMe, visit the <a href="https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/the-state-legislative-attack-on-lgbtq-people">Human Rights Campaign site.</a>

23andMe Signs Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ+ State Laws

Over the last year, since the tragic murder of George Floyd, 23andMe has taken a number of steps to improve our approach in building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We identified four focus areas that we’ve been making progress on over the past year, including:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Hiring: Attract and hire top, diverse talent.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Employee Experience: Cultivate an inclusive environment that authentically celebrates our shared genome and unique differences.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Product &amp; Research: Use our product to build and sustain Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in every customer and community interaction.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Community Impact: Use our relationships to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities.</li>
</ol>
We have committed to holding ourselves accountable, while also rallying others to take action and be part of shaping a better future. To aid in these efforts, our CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki recently joined the<a href="https://www.ceoaction.com/"> CEO Action for Diversity &amp; Inclusion™</a> pledge to collaborate with other organizations in order to further our DEI efforts. The coalition, which now includes more than 1,600 CEOs across 85 industries, is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
“Creating a more inclusive work environment and product is a lifelong journey that will require continuous input and feedback,” Anne said. “Joining this pledge will allow us to collaborate and learn from other organizations so that we can all build more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces and products.”
The pledge centers around four main commitments that align with 23andMe’s commitments to DEI. They include:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Cultivate trusting workplaces that can have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Implement and/or expand unconscious bias education.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Share best—and unsuccessful—practices.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with the board of directors (or equivalent governing bodies).</li>
</ul>
23andMe has already begun working on each of these four commitments, but this pledge offers another opportunity to hold ourselves accountable. We also hope that it will help encourage other companies to make similar moves toward creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.
&nbsp;

CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion

We’re all about the science here at 23andMe, and that’s what makes <a href="https://www.genome.gov/dna-day">DNA Day</a> so special for us here. 
Established back in 2003, DNA Day was meant to commemorate two big milestones — the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953; and the decoding of the human genome 50 years later. DNA Day has become more than just a day to commemorate those milestones, but also a day to educate. 
So here’s a quick primer on those two milestones.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="711" height="400" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2DNADAY.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-28852" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2DNADAY.jpg 711w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2DNADAY-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Watson and Crick</h6>
James Watson and Francis Crick published their description of the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12667029?ordinalpos=18&#038;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum">structure of DNA</a> on April 23, 1953, in the journal Nature. In 1962, the pair, along with Maurie Wilkins, won a Nobel prize for their work. It is still considered one of the most significant scientific contributions of the last century. 
Left out of that recognition was <a href="http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/KR/">Rosalind Franklin</a>, whose x-ray images of DNA were critical to solving its structure. She passed away in 1958. You can learn about her career and her contributions at “<a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/photo51/">The Secret of Photo 51,</a>” which was put together for the PBS program NOVA several years ago.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="600" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna.png" alt="" class="wp-image-25152" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna.png 600w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna-372x372.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dna-574x574.png 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Human Genome Project</h6>
Over 13-years, the <a href="https://www.genome.gov/10001772">Human Genome Project</a> mustered resources from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health with the goal of mapping the human genome. A massive team of scientists worked to identify all the more than 20,000 genes in human DNA and determine the sequence of the three billion base pairs that make up the human genome. They completed the work in 2003. 
For a much more detailed look at the history and accomplishments from the project go to the National Human Genome Institute’s <a href="https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project">Human Genome Project</a> page, or to take a look at the data go to the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/guide/human/">NCBI Human Genome Resources</a> page.
<h6>23andMe</h6>
23andMe formed just three years after scientists sketched out that first rough draft of the human genome. Our mission remains to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 
Now 15 years on, 23andMe opened up personal <a href="https://www.23andme.com/stories/">discoveries</a> for millions of customers, offering consumers direct access to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">genetic testing</a> without the need of an intermediary. 23andMe has also become a tool for people to learn about and explore genetics and participate in important genetic <a href="https://research.23andme.com/">research</a>.
As our CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki once said about 23andMe:
“We’re not just a genetics company. We’re not just a health company; we’re not just ancestry; we’re all of these things. We want to tell you about you.”
Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/">here</a>.

A image of double helix showing a variant

DNA Day 2021

A new study by scientists at 23andMe, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and the University of Toronto offers insight into how the nuclear genome controls the emergence of mutations in mitochondrial DNA.
Published in<a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/12/eabe7520/tab-article-info"> Scientific Advances</a>, the new findings will help researchers studying serious mitochondrial diseases.
&#8220;Mitochondrial diseases represent a very large spectrum, and many are fatal,” said Neal Sondheimer, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of the study and Staff Physician in Clinical and Metabolic Genetics at SickKids. “With a better understanding of how mitochondrial variants emerge, we can explore new possibilities for the prevention or possibly the treatment of disease.&#8221;
<h6>mtDNA</h6>
We often refer to genetics as if each person has one genome, but we all actually have two genomes – the nuclear genome and mitochondrial genome.
The <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry">mitochondrial</a> genome (known as mtDNA) is uniquely inherited only from our mother. It operates under separate rules for inheritance and repairs to its structure. Mitochondria act like tiny cellular power plants in our bodies. Even though mtDNA represents just a small fraction of our DNA, they have outsized importance. Even small differences in mtDNA can cause serious mitochondrial diseases. Those differences may have a significant impact on such things as Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, aging, autism, preterm birth, and more.
<h6>Heteroplasmy</h6>
Mitochondrial function and DNA maintenance rely on nuclear genome-encoded components. The presence of mtDNA mutation leads to a phenomenon called heteroplasmy – an area of focus for this study.
Heteroplasmy occurs when two or more variants of mtDNA exist in the same cell. The study used data from almost one million 23andMe customers, who consented to participate in research, to calculate heteroplasmy and then identify regions of the nuclear genome that were associated with heteroplasmy. Two candidate areas in the nuclear genome associated with heteroplasmy are known to be involved in the replication of mtDNA.

Scientists uncover new information about how hard-to-treat genetic diseases are inherited

By L. Okey Onyejekwe Jr., MD, JD,  23andMe’s Vice President of Healthcare Operations and Medical Affairs
Why did we need a separate month for Black history? I’ve answered this question many times and heard it asked many times more. At its most innocuous, it’s a silly question. Yet it&#8217;s a dangerous one regardless of intent. For one, the health disparity data points that I’ll be reflecting on below—sobering by any account—won’t surprise you. You know them, at the very least by implication. Black people between 18 and 50 are two times more likely than whites to die from heart disease, and Black children are eight<a href="https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=4&amp;lvlid=15"> times more likely</a> to die from asthma, etc.
I couldn’t shock you with the data even if I delivered it with lightning. Indeed, the implications of this question go far beyond “history.” So rather than trying to wow you with sobering statistics, or dignify the question with an answer, I thought I’d share why I’m unusually hopeful as we conclude this Black History Month.
<h2>A Reservoir of Hope</h2>
The perspectives I share here are those of a healthcare provider who happens also to be Black. Being Black in America requires drawing on an endless reservoir of hope of what could be, and not what is.
So hope is not new for me, even though the events of the past year tested that outlook. I saw a Black man murdered by police officers—his agonizing transition from a full life all the way to death captured on camera for eternity. I cried because he’s a son, and I have sons. I raged because it happened again, and I told you—we all have been telling you—that it would. But mostly I despaired at the fact that I know—we all know—that justice will not be served once again. That’s always the most painful part.
Then there was the Black man killed by white racist civilians for JWB (jogging while black). The killers got to go home and have dinner with family that evening, no questions asked, and for months afterward. And of course, there was the young woman, murdered by police in her own home. She’ll never get to write about her own experience as a Black healthcare professional. As always, no one will face justice for it. And there was so much more.
So how is it possible that I have any hope as a father of a boy who’s so full of life, another boy who loves running, and a daughter who too aspires to be a healthcare professional?

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="384" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Okey-and-kids-at-BLM-march.png" alt="" class="wp-image-28781" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Okey-and-kids-at-BLM-march.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Okey-and-kids-at-BLM-march-300x225.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
 
<h2>An Inflection Point?</h2>
None of this was new to me, to us. The shock, if there was any, didn’t come from us. We’ve been crying out loud over this type of injustice for years. But in 2020, at least for a moment, it seemed like other people cared.
Will it last?  We did see that racism was <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/health-equity/ama-racism-threat-public-health">finally recognized by the AMA</a> and other organizations as a public health threat for the first time ever.  The policy acknowledges that “the primary drivers of racial health inequity are systemic and structural racism” and that “racism and unconscious bias within medical research and health care delivery have caused and continue to cause harm to marginalized communities and society as a whole.” To one desperate to nail down a foundation on something hopeful, this was a hammer. A tool. Something I can actually build with.
Of course, there was another pandemic in 2020, also with disproportionate effects, killing Black people at <a href="https://covidtracking.com/race">1.6 times the rate of white people</a>. Research from 23andMe, the company where I work, found that Black customers who consented to participate in our research are <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/impact-disparities-of-covid-19/">80 percent more likely</a> than whites to be hospitalized from COVID-19. Beyond that, Black and other underrepresented communities are also much less likely to be included — or are much less willing to participate — in health research. That includes the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2021971">most recent clinical trials</a> for COVID-19 vaccines.
This kind of disparity is more than just the problem of Black people. It’s a recognized public health problem. In fact, it’s an unacceptable deviation from the standard of care.
<h2>Taking Action</h2>
The significance of this shift cannot be overstated. Even before the pandemic, there were concerted efforts to take action.
The National Institutes of Health&#8217;s <a href="http://allofus.nih.gov/">All of Us</a> Precision Medicine Initiative is recruiting a million Americans, particularly from underrepresented communities, for genetic health research. The Veteran&#8217;s Administration&#8217;s <a href="https://www.research.va.gov/mvp/">Million Veterans Program</a> is doing much the same.
23andMe has spent more than a decade focused on diversifying its research database to improve our study of diseases like Parkinson’s, within all populations. While we still have a long way to go, 23andMe now has one of the largest, if not the largest, groups of African Americans consented to participate in genetic research in the world. But these types of efforts can no longer be optional outliers. They must indeed become the norm if they are to be within the standard of care.
These efforts and others will lead to new insights into human biology, better and more equitable clinical care, and improved outcomes for everyone. But we still have so much more work to do. At 23andMe we pledged to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter">hold ourselves accountable</a> to make improvements to ensure our people, products, and practices are more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
It’s a pledge we could all make, especially right now. It amounts to doing more than just hoping for change. It means making a plan to change so that everyone benefits from the scientific insights we learn through research, and all of us have the chance for equitable healthcare.

Hope, Healthcare, and Black Lives

Meet Melinda King, 23andMe’s new Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and People Business Partner.
Melinda previously served as an Assistant Vice President at the University of Alabama, her alma mater. Her responsibilities included leading the University&#8217;s career center and heading up Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the University&#8217;s Division of Student Life. She has more than two decades of human resources experience, working with companies in Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Florida. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-28768 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-300x283.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="283" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-300x283.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-1024x967.jpeg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-768x725.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-880x831.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2-1180x1114.jpeg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/mel2.jpeg 1350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Melinda&#8217;s decision to come out west and work with 23andMe had a lot to do with last year&#8217;s events and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter">a letter</a> written by our founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki. The letter came in the wake of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd. In it, Anne acknowledged 23andMe&#8217;s own failings, and she pledged that 23andMe would make its hiring practices and its products more inclusive.&nbsp;
For Melinda, it was a refreshingly candid response, and she reached out to Anne directly on LinkedIn. In the months since then, 23andMe has started to make <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/diversity-equity-inclusion/">progress</a>. (More on that to come next month.) Melinda is going to help us continue our DEI work. As she says, this kind of effort isn&#8217;t a one-off project that you do and then move on. It&#8217;s a long-term commitment to change company culture.&nbsp;
We sat down with Melinda to chat about her, her role at 23andMe, and what she hopes to achieve. As we look back at 2020, we can see some silver linings. The problematic year pushed important issues to the forefront that needed to be addressed, including improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring, our employees’ experience, our product, our health research, and our community impact.
<h6>What drew you to 23andMe?&nbsp;</h6>
“The opportunity to combine my passion for DEI with the ability to work for an organization that is improving health care outcomes, especially for those in marginalized communities. Really excited to be a part of work that has a broader impact.”
<h6>Could you add more details about reading <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter">Anne’s letter regarding</a> the Black Lives Matter movement and how it affected your decision to come here?</h6>
“After the George Floyd murder, I decided I needed to be more solution-driven in the current movement regarding the impact of systemic racism and how it has manifested itself around police brutality for black and brown bodies. I&nbsp; had grown skeptical regarding the number of organizations that were making bold public statements around their commitment to Diversity. When I saw Anne’s willingness to call her own company out, I found it refreshing that she was willing to say her organization was part of the problem. I felt this is an organization that I want to connect with to see how I can assist them with their DEI journey.&nbsp;”
<h6>As the Director of DEI, what do you hope people outside the company take away from your hire? What about those inside the company?</h6>
“DEI work is not a one-person job, but it is important to have someone to ensure the work that is done is strategic and sustainable. My hope is individuals within and outside the company will view this role as a long-term commitment to having a diverse workforce, with equitable opportunities and an inclusive culture.”
<h6>Can you talk about 2020 and whether you think that it marked an inflection point for companies looking more seriously at DEI in the workplace?&nbsp;</h6>
“Absolutely, 2020 brought the issues of systemic racism into everyone’s living room. It was further complicated by COVID. You really could not escape what was happening around the country and the impact it was having on the workforce. Organizations that normally would stay away from conversations about social justice had no choice but to address it because people could not separate what was happening to others from their own lives. For a lot of leaders, it was the first time they really understood the impact inequalities have on people they work with and care about. They realized they could no longer stand on the sidelines.”
<h6>Do you see a nexus between DEI in the workplace and what 23andMe is trying to do to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/improving-research-diversity">improve diversity in its research</a>?</h6>
“I do. We all know there is a gap between the disparities in health care outcomes for minorities and other marginalized communities. Research is one of the vehicles to close that gap. It will be important for 23andMe to engage with those communities to better understand those medical conditions and to offer solutions for those most impacted.”
<h6>What are some things you can share about the coming year and what you hope to focus on?&nbsp;</h6>
“I really just want to continue the trend of turning words into action around this important work. To make certain we look at all of our major decisions through a DEI lens.”

News — Page 8