Global Genetics Project

23andMe expands its Global Genetics Project adding new populations in Africa and Asia to help improve the diversity of its genetics database for research. The success of the program means that we can now expand the set of countries for which we are recruiting. These additional countries (including French Guiana, Ghana, and Suriname) are underrepresented not only in 23andMe research, but also in genetics research more broadly.

23andMe is testing an update of its signature Ancestry Composition tool, offering a better breakdown for customers with ancestry from Central and South Asia.

23andMe's Global Genetics Project aims to enroll more than 10,000 people over two years from communities in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, who are not currently well represented in genetic research. The data will help diversity 23andMe’s database and thus improve results for our customers; it will also boost genomic studies in underrepresented populations worldwide.

23andMe has added new and more diverse reference populations, allowing customers with African and East Asian ancestry to see a more detailed breakdown of their Ancestry Composition. The update was made possible thanks to the contributions of 23andMe customers, as well as new sources of publicly available data such as the 1000 Genomes Project, and from the company's own African Genetics Project.

In honor of Black History Month, several 23andMe researchers participated in a two-day event in honor of Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to science.On top of honoring Henrietta’s life, the...

23andMe launches a Global Genetics Project recruiting thousands of individuals with recent heritage from dozens of countries in Africa, Oceania, Asia, and the Americas to improve research in underrepresented populations, and reveal new insights into patterns of human migration and genetic diversity.