As a San Francisco Bay Area business analyst, Lauren Trusheim is familiar with male-dominated workplaces. 
“Coming from a data analytics and consulting background, I’m accustomed to being the only woman in the room,” Lauren explains. 
<h2>What are ERGs?</h2>
So when she learned about 23andShe, a 23andMe <a href="https://www.23andme.com/diversity-equity-inclusion/">Employee Resource Group (ERG)</a> dedicated to women’s personal and professional growth, she jumped at the chance to get involved. 
 “Joining 23andShe seemed like the perfect way to build connections with my new 23andMe colleagues and give back to the community,” she says. 
 23andShe, founded last year, promotes community involvement and empowerment through programs, educational events, and volunteer opportunities. Like other 23andMe Employee Resource Groups, it provides a place for employees with shared interests, experiences, or characteristics to gather and build community.
“It’s a space for women to come together and learn from each other,” Lauren says. “Fostering a strong support system is essential for personal and professional happiness and success.”
 In celebration of Women’s History Month, we asked Lauren and three other members of the 23andShe leadership team to reflect on the group&#8217;s impact and their hopes for the future.
<h2>What inspired you to get involved with the 23andShe Employee Resource Group?</h2>
Lauren Trusheim (she/her), Business Analyst: When Lemonaid Health was acquired by 23andMe, I was excited to learn about 23andShe! Throughout my career, I’ve actively sought out opportunities to connect with fellow women and learn from their experiences. 
Melinda King (she/her), Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: I thought it was a great opportunity to leverage the voice of women within 23andMe and to make certain that issues that are important to women have an appropriate platform. 
 Sophia Majeed (she/her), Principal Clinical Scientist: I think it&#8217;s important for us to have a space to discuss topics and challenges that are specific to women and propose solutions to improve our workplace experience. 
Women&#8217;s workplace issues often make headlines, from the increasing burden of childcare and domestic responsibilities on women during the pandemic to the gender pay gap, and it&#8217;s not unreasonable to assume that these same issues may impact women who work at 23andMe. 
I see the women&#8217;s ERG as a space where we can advocate for positive change for women at the company in an inclusive way that recognizes and celebrates our diversity.
Tracy Keim (she/her), Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Brand: I love groups founded by women, for women. I love hearing about other women’s journeys and stories and learning from them. 
Investing in each other makes us stronger – time, support, listening, advocating, allyship – it’s more important now than ever to build even stronger bonds between women at work. 
New <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/covid-19-and-gender-equality-countering-the-regressive-effects#:~:text=At%20a%20country%20level%2C%20the,overall%20job%20losses%20to%20date.">2021 McKinsey data</a> shows that the impact of COVID-19 on women who work has been reversed. We need to be sponsors of each other!
<h2>Do you ever find that your gender impacts your daily life?</h2>
Lauren Trusheim: Unfortunately, we live in a world primarily designed by and for (cis, white) men. We see this pop up in office temperatures, bathroom lines, and even the notorious underfunding of women’s health research. 
Living in a society that still largely revolves around the needs and preferences of men has contributed to my habit of always accommodating others and reinforced my people-pleasing tendencies. 
 Luckily, awareness about these inequalities and their impact on women continues to increase. I’m thankful to have ERGs like 23andShe that provide a platform for highlighting issues that impact women. 
 Melinda King: The way that I walk through most interactions in my daily life are impacted by the fact that I am a woman of color. The intersection of those two communities means I have to decide how to show up in spaces that were not designed for me and then navigate to get the outcome that works for me.
 Sophia Majeed: Often, when people find out that I am a Muslim woman, I am subjected to negative stereotypes and assumptions. It’s not ‘popular’ to advocate for the rights of Muslim women, even as we see governments across the globe profile us and implement laws to take away our freedom to practice our faith. 
We are often portrayed as victims who have no agency or control over our fate (it just so happens that most Muslim women I know are intelligent, brilliant, fierce, and independent!). When I told my principal investigator in grad school that I was expecting a baby, she asked me if my husband would even let me work. The stereotypes are tiring.
<h2>What makes you feel proud to be a woman?</h2>
Lauren Trusheim: I have been lucky to have a wide variety of women mentors, friends, and colleagues, all of whom are inspiring and supportive. They are breaking glass ceilings in their respective fields, balancing work and personal lives with grace, and are open about the failures and lessons they’ve learned along the way.
I am constantly inspired by my fellow women&#8217;s grit, tenacity, diversity, and supportiveness. 
Melinda King: Just looking around at all the women who have worked against all the odds to do incredible things for themselves and their communities. Whenever I think it can’t be done, I see someone do it, which makes me incredibly proud. 
I think about the women in my family and their challenges, yet they continued to thrive. Having a family of strong women is extremely empowering.
<blockquote>
<h3>&#8220;By showcasing the diversity of women, 23andShe can help challenge assumptions and stereotypes and create a space for women from all backgrounds.&#8221; </h3>
</blockquote>
Sophia Majeed: I feel most proud to be a woman when I reflect on how resilient we have been throughout history. The women leading Civil Rights movements in the U.S. and abroad inspire me. 
I also take great pride in the women in my life, my mentors, friends, and family, who have overcome immense challenges to become leaders in their fields and have driven important societal changes to improve the lives of all people.
 Tracy Keim: I feel proud to be a woman when I think about all the brave women who spoke up and created the Times Up and the MeToo movement. 
I felt proud to be a woman when Naomi Osaka courageously put her career on hold before burnout, then graced the cover of <a href="https://time.com/6077128/naomi-osaka-essay-tokyo-olympics/">TIME</a> and said to the world, “It’s o.k. to not be o.k.” 
I felt proud to be a woman when I read Emily Chang’s book <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/547571/brotopia-by-emily-chang/">Brotopia</a> and saw she was unafraid of taking on the tech industry.
After reading Dr. Brittney Cooper&#8217;s book Eloquent Rage, I felt inspired to be a better woman and ally. It provided my first real exposure to and awareness of what it’s like to be a Black woman today. 
I felt proud to be a woman when I saw the first female Vice President take office, shattering a glass ceiling I hope many young women can climb through. 
<h2>What can people do to raise awareness about the issues impacting women today?</h2>
Melinda King: There are so many issues. I think it’s important to research all the opportunity gaps that exist for women and then consider how you can help close that gap in your personal and professional life. 
The pay gap is always a troubling one because the problem is compounded each time women aren’t paid properly, and it impacts their financial security in the long term. I think that’s an issue that constantly needs focus. 
 Sophia Majeed: Having transparent conversations about issues that impact women is a good starting point. Also, share data and statistics for women in leadership positions across the company to identify gaps. I hope that 23andShe will provide a space to have candid conversations.
<h2>How is 23andShe making a difference?</h2>
Lauren Trusheim: I hope to build a community that supports each other during tough times and celebrates each other’s successes. I’m also looking forward to raising awareness about issues impacting women and educating our colleagues through speaker series and other events. 
 Sophia Majeed: I hope that by showcasing the diversity of women, 23andShe can help challenge assumptions and stereotypes and create a space for women from all backgrounds. 
 Tracy Keim: I hope our group can help make a difference by creating the space for learning, connecting, and understanding real issues women face today. I believe we can positively impact each other while encouraging a strong allyship culture. 
I also hope men join the conversation through the ERG’s programming to foster real change, understanding, and empathy. Men are part of the solution.
<h2>What books, podcasts, movies, and other resources do you recommend for those who want to dive deeper?</h2>
Melinda King: I’ve been reading a lot from the author Bell Hooks. She helped me understand how the original women&#8217;s movement lacked a true focus on including the needs of all women. Two of her books, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_Theory:_From_Margin_to_Center">Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center</a> and <a href="https://www.plutobooks.com/9780861043798/aint-i-a-woman/">Ain’t I a Woman</a>, provide an informative look back at the feminist movement. 
Tracy Keim: The<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MAKERSWomen"> MAKERS</a> organization has some of the best speakers covering intersectionality, equal pay, women’s rights, and more.
Additionally,<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace"> McKinsey</a> has incredible data tracking women in the workplace and issues we face today. And one of my favorite documentaries,<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x48OViTBpE"> Not Done</a>, is incredibly inspirational to see the progress made by women in history with the reminder that we are not done!

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Amplifying Women’s Voices at 23andMe

When <a href="http://www.valeriejarrettbook.com/">Valerie Jarrett</a> was in her early 30s, everything was finally going according to plan. She had a law degree from the University of Michigan, a career at a prestigious firm, a large office overlooking Lake Michigan, and a husband and beloved daughter. 
So why, on a hot summer day in 1987, did Valerie suddenly burst into tears in her office? 
“On that day,” she said, “I asked myself: ‘Is this my life, or do I want to pivot away from this perfect plan on paper that is a nightmare in reality?’”
That moment of reckoning set her on a winding course, leading from city government all the way to the White House, where she worked as senior advisor for President Obama from 2009 to 2017. 
She shared this story and others during a fireside chat with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/melinda-king/">Melinda King</a>, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for 23andMe. 
Their hour-long conversation, in front of an audience of 23andMe employees over Zoom, touched on a variety of topics, including Valerie’s belief in the next generation; the “uplifting” possibility of a Black woman joining the Supreme Court; the pitfalls of cancel culture; the critical role of inclusion in diversity work; and the real benefit she gets from her daily workouts. The exchange below has been edited for clarity and brevity.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29567" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square.jpg" alt="Valerie Jarrett headshot" width="1920" height="1429" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square.jpg 1920w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-300x223.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-768x572.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-1024x762.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-880x655.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Valerie-Jarrett-Headshot-JPG_square-1180x878.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />
<h6>On creating a workplace culture of inclusion for Black employees:</h6>
Start at home. Start within your company. Listen to the people who work there, and do it in a way that they feel comfortable. Be authentic – you need to actually care. Have them tell you their stories. 
I love storytelling; it&#8217;s a big piece of what we do at the Obama Foundation because it humanizes the issues. So then it&#8217;s not just about statistics – it becomes, ‘this is my story, and what I’ve been through and this is what I need to thrive in this environment.’ 
If you truly want to create an inclusive culture, then you have to be willing to listen, willing to check yourself and say, ‘well, have I really made an effort to have diverse friends? What does the senior level of this company look like?’ Because when people come in the door of your company, it’s hard to be what they can’t see. 
<h6>On her source of inspiration and optimism:</h6>
I draw inspiration from the younger generation. It was one of the reasons why President Obama was able to entice me to run the Obama Foundation, even though I was in a stage of my life when I was focused on being a grandmother and waking up every day doing exactly what I wanted to do. I initially agreed to do it as a favor until he found someone permanent. Then I started spending time with our young global leaders from Asia, Africa, and Europe and students at Columbia University and the University of Chicago. They&#8217;re so smart and strategic, they think outside of the box, and they are hopeful in a realistic way. They give me an enormous amount of inspiration.  
Recognizing that I stand on the shoulder of my ancestors and people who come before me, I know that I want to have sturdy shoulders for the next generation. So I will impart what I’ve learned, which they are free to accept or disregard. I believe our job is to make their life easier so they can tackle some of the big challenges of life.
<h6>On the pitfalls of cancel culture and the value of different perspectives:</h6>
Who was more unhelpful to the Obama Administration than Rupert Murdoch? But guess what, Rupert Murdoch cared about immigration reform. And I worked very closely with him on that. Part of what you have to recognize – if you’re true to wanting change – is this isn&#8217;t about you; this is about getting the job done. And it doesn’t taint or diminish you to work with people you may disagree with on 99 issues if you can agree on one. 
I worry that the temptation is to cancel anyone who doesn&#8217;t fit into a nice little package. But that&#8217;s not how we get things done. And it&#8217;s not how we get to know one another, which is part of the elixir of life – relationships. And I think the relationships made of strange bedfellows are even more interesting, and they&#8217;re more complicated. I encourage everyone to come out of their comfort zone and not just turn someone off because they don’t agree with you 100 percent, because, first of all, there&#8217;s a lot more grey in a lot of areas than that, and we get more done when we do things together.
<h6>On President Biden’s plan to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court:</h6>
I appreciate his desire for that diversity, and I&#8217;m really proud, for example, that when he and President Obama were in office, President Obama appointed 26 Black women to the bench. Now there&#8217;s a real treasure trove of women to choose from, not to mention those not on the bench who are just as qualified. The pipeline is a lot stronger today than it has been historically –  I think that&#8217;s a great thing. 
President Biden has received some backlash for saying it will be a Black woman, but the message he&#8217;s sending is, ‘I think a Black woman in that environment would be a healthy thing right now.’
I can&#8217;t wait to see who he selects, and I think it will be uplifting for us to have that representation. Representation matters. I had the privilege of working on Justice Sonia Sotomayor&#8217;s Supreme Court selection and confirmation, and the Latino community was euphoric; they felt like someone who is going to be making decisions that impact their life finally understood their story. And I think for the credibility of our judiciary, that&#8217;s an important step.
<h6>On listening to that quiet voice within:</h6>
Each of us should ask – ‘what replenishes me’? At a certain age, you should know yourself and know what makes you feel better and healthy. For me, I exercise every morning. Now, I do not enjoy exercise. The happiest moment of my day is when I&#8217;m done. But I know it&#8217;s good for me. It&#8217;s an hour I have to myself – my phone’s not ringing, I&#8217;m not looking at texts; it just settles me. 
And I also love my friends and family. When I&#8217;m in Chicago, my mom, who&#8217;s 93, has this Sunday dinner with all our cousins. (I&#8217;m an only child, so my cousins are like my siblings). At the end of that dinner, I just feel better. And when I was in Washington, I did that with my girlfriends. So do what makes you feel good to replenish yourself.
I don&#8217;t believe in work-life balance, just like I don&#8217;t believe in 50/50 relationships or that you can have it all simultaneously. I think we set ourselves up with completely unrealistic expectations. We just have to figure out how to give ourselves a little bit of a break and get back in the game. It&#8217;s easier to do that if you think what you&#8217;re doing is of value. Try to find a job where you feel like you&#8217;re adding value; that&#8217;s very satisfying. And it can be adding value in whatever ways make you fulfilled. Don&#8217;t look to someone else to tell you what will work for you.
That&#8217;s one of the things I realized that day I was in my office crying. I had been living the life that everyone else thought was a great life. But the only voice that actually matters is your voice – that quiet voice inside of you.

“You have to be willing to listen,” Valerie Jarrett on Creating an Inclusive Culture

If there’s a sweet spot between discovery and medicine — between answering the big scientific questions of the day, and administering the small but personal care required of the best physicians — then John Matthews is there.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HUmans_23andME_me-1-36-1-576x1024.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="711" class="alignright wp-image-29473" />
That has a lot to do with his unique background and experience.
 Born in Malawi to a dad who was an agricultural scientist with a Ph.D., and a mom who worked as a hospital nurse, John grew up curious about both science and medicine. (His parents met in Rhodesia while John’s father was flying in a helicopter over farms and spotted his future wife in a red dress having a picnic among the white of a cotton field.) One of John’s uncles was also a doctor, and John developed a natural affinity toward helping people, even performing first aid on the playground in grade school.
“I learned various solutions to deal with simple problems like how to manage nettle stings or remove grit from the eye, washing grazed knees, bee stings, etc.,” he said. “I was very curious about how the body worked, and why it didn’t.”
Now the senior clinical development fellow on 23andMe’s Therapeutics team, John is still wrestling with those questions. He is both a physician who trained in pulmonary medicine and a scientist with a Ph.D. from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College in the UK. He worked directly with patients in an intensive care unit at a hospital in London, and after leaving clinical practice he spent years working at companies developing medicines meant to treat people with the kind of serious illness he often attended to on the ward.
And he still draws on his early years as a doctor for inspiration. John points to a handful of patients who he said fundamentally changed him and continue to motivate him. One, in particular, was a dying man with HIV who struggled simply to swallow food. Although there were new anti-retroviral treatments, those treatments didn’t become widely available for patients for another ten years. And those lifesaving drugs weren’t available to help this patient. For John, who cared for this patient as he died, it cemented the need to develop medicines faster.
“It was hard to be in a situation where novel therapeutics were so desperately needed and this patient is a constant reminder of the urgency to find new medicines for severe unmet needs,” John said. 
That’s a central mission for <a href="https://www.23andme.com/therapeutics/">23andMe’s Therapeutics</a> efforts and part of what drew John to work here.
On a day-to-day basis, John focuses on refining 23andMe drug discovery. Some of that involves developing plans for good clinical practice for such things as safety and data management. But he also brings understanding from those early days on the ward caring for people who were sick or dying. He has been instrumental in 23andMe’s efforts studying rare diseases for instance and explaining the science to patient advocacy groups.
We sat down with John to talk about his career, why he came to 23andMe, and what drives him as a scientist and physician.
<h6>You were born in Malawi, can you tell us a little bit about that, and about where you grew up?</h6>
John: “My parents were living in Malawi — Dad started working as an entomologist at Imperial College, in 1967 and through a UK government grant was based in the newly independent country Malawi to study cotton pests. Mum was working for a hospital as a nurse and Dad was doing his Ph.D. 
We left when I was almost five. But I went back just before I qualified as a doctor, visiting Zimbabwe and Malawi, working on a project comparing asthma in urban and rural areas. 
I visited the Makoka research station and the house I grew up in. I trekked out to the countryside and with various guides and contacts found the man who had taken care of me as a child. I went back daily for a few days buying fertilizer and new wellington boots for him — feeling guilty the whole time. He can’t speak English but he had a photo of me in his kitchen. I feel bad that (our family) didn’t do enough for him. My effort now is to regularly fund Kiva loans for Malawians (<a href="http://www.kiva.org">www.kiva.org</a>) and support various efforts in Malawi  — but it always feels like a drop in the ocean.”  
<h6>You trained in medicine and practiced for a while. Why did you go into medicine?</h6>
John: “My mum was a nurse and my uncle Seamus was a pathologist in Dublin. Between my mum and my uncle “medicine” was referred to a lot. I grew up knowing that medicine was a responsibility to care for anyone in need. When I was at school (aged 7-to-10) kids used to come to me in the playground with injuries – and I learned various solutions to deal with simple problems – like how to manage nettle stings or remove grit from the eye, washing grazed knees, bee stings, etc. I was very curious about how the body worked and why it didn’t.”
<h6>You’ve said before that you’re interested in physiology, body metabolism, and aging. Why is that?</h6>
John: &#8220;I did an extra year at medical school to study physiology. I wanted to go deeper into science. Physiology seemed to be the best way to actually look into how the body worked and it seemed a lot more fun than learning more anatomy or biochemistry. The physiology faculty at my medical school were always the best lecturers. The experiments to make discoveries were also more accessible than imagining what was happening in a chemical reaction. I even took part in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1400059/">human physiology experiments</a> as a subject. 
I was encouraged to study areas with little scientific consensus, such as the control mechanisms of the exercise ventilatory response. I worked in an intensive care unit in London called the Mead ward. It was set up by Professor Ron Bradley, the first full-time intensive care clinician in the UK. He also ran the ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. When I was on the ward, Ron, who had retired, still came in every week to give us tutorials. He had developed a way to estimate cardiac output through his work deriving simple equations that he had developed with quantitative data from human experiments. 
Without going into too much detail, the takeaway for me was that a close physical examination of the patient can give quantitative data on the circulatory state of the patient. The challenge is the ability to capture clinical information and lump or split patients in ways that can help us get to a molecular understanding of disease. 23andMe has pioneered capturing self-report data from the patient, but we haven’t yet mastered capturing the reports of the doctors and nurses that look after them.” 
<h6>What are your hopes for the work you are doing?</h6>
John: “My hope is to see our work yield significant new medicines in the shortest time frame possible.
I’m also very interested in what 23andMe can do around rare diseases. I hope we can communicate the potential of 23andMe to make genetic findings for a large number of rare diseases for which there is very little known currently. 
We’ve recently finished <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.09.21258643v1">a paper</a> illustrating that potential. There are more than 7,000 rare diseases. Being able to find a genetic basis for some of these conditions could offer valuable insights into diagnosis and treatment. We have the potential to do that for many conditions if we are able to find enough individuals with these conditions to participate in our research.”  
&nbsp;

Patients Inspire Therapeutics Scientist

23andMe will host a virtual research and development day next week to discuss announcements that include taking our first wholly-owned drug into a <a href="https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/23andme-initiates-phase-1-clinical-trial-first-wholly-owned">phase 1 clinical trial</a>, as well as a new <a href="https://investors.23andme.com/news-releases/news-release-details/23andme-receives-fda-clearance-direct-consumer-genetic-test">FDA authorization</a> to report on genetic health risks for hereditary prostate cancer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drug-discovery">Drug Discovery</h2>



Speakers for the virtual event include CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki and Kenneth Hillian, Head of 23andMe Therapeutics. 



Along with them will be a presentation by Adam Auton, Vice President for Human Genetics, where he will explain in more detail how the Therapeutics team uses genetic and phenotypic data in the drug discovery process. Also on hand from the Therapeutics team will be Jennifer Low, Head of Therapeutics Development, and Joe Aaron, Chief Scientific Officer.  



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consumer-product">Consumer Product</h2>



Beyond the presentations on drug discovery, the event will also include discussions on consumer product development, with comments from Paul Johnson, the Vice President and General Manager of the company&#8217;s consumer division. 



The event is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 am Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. The webcast event can be accessed on the day of the event at<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=GXNpg_k0JQckfDpOgmeKh3sWgYZdCjpezwzXMm-ILINYJ7-uL4frfpttjMY3FYjFWTypoBIQJVqdRXNMqP7nFYCBchdZXRsJNtieuHuLljXHbdT94HM9nsh_9fYlYYdCY1gjJDLd4Dc7ufbJXKJoS0aTBrpGP295Cg6c-cZAgz3b8ALua2hEbfgq6LEmGCk1UAbO8Re_ITZefE9CqzgDXQ=="> https://investors.23andme.com/news-events/events-presentations</a>. A webcast replay will be available at the same address for a limited time within 24 hours after the event.



&nbsp;

23andMe Hosts Virtual R&D Day

We’re excited to share our refreshed <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/consent/">Research Consent document</a> that governs how 23andMe conducts Research. Although we have not changed our research program or how we use participants&#8217; data, we reorganized the content of the Research Consent and greatly simplified the language. We made these updates for two reasons:
<h6>To be in compliance with updated research regulations: <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-28236 size-medium" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 270w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 192w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 32w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h6>
Our revisions align with updates to a federal regulation known as the Common Rule, which governs how human subjects research is conducted in the United States. The updated Common Rule aims to make consents more clear and easier to read, and to better help people make decisions about research participation. Our revised Research Consent is in compliance with the current version of the Common Rule.
<h6>To respond to customer feedback:</h6>
We recently asked our customers for feedback on our Research Consent. Based on their feedback we made the following changes:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">We shortened the Key Information Summary at the top of the document.</li>
<li aria-level="1">We highlighted topics most important to our customers in the Key Information Summary&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">We simplified the language throughout the Research Consent.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">We added detailed information about how participant data contributes to 23andMe Research.</li>
</ol>
If you look at the new consent, you may notice the updated Key Information Summary, the more concise and simple language, and the real-world examples of research discoveries made possible by participants who shared their information. We believe that the new version will enable our customers to more easily find information that may help them decide whether or not to participate in 23andMe Research.
We hope you see these changes as improvements and can find within the document the answers to your questions about 23andMe Research.
If you have questions about these revisions you can contact the 23andMe Research Team at <a href="mailto:hpa@23andMe.com">hpa@23andMe.com</a>.

Updates to Improve our Research Consent

23andMe has been included in another “Best” list, this one for its leadership. 
In Inc. magazine’s first annual Best-Led Companies list, 23andMe was included after being evaluated on a 12-point measure of management excellence. The company was one of 250 on <a href="https://www.inc.com/best-led-companies/2021">the list</a> that honors both public and private U.S. companies with revenues that range from $50 million to $2 billion. In total the companies employ more than 35 million people or about one in four workers in the US. 
“This inaugural list of companies represents the remarkable mid-sized companies, both public and private, often founder-led, that are at the vanguard of reinventing American business,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. “With their leadership, all business will benefit from an exciting, competitive future full of possibilities.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-29267 size-large" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/IncBestLedCompanies_SocialImage1.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
To be considered for the list, each company had to fill out an application answering questions about its performance, executive team, and leadership. Applicants were then analyzed via an algorithm that identified the very best companies according to their leadership teams’ superlative accomplishments in four key areas: performance and value creation; market penetration and customer engagement; talent; and leadership team.
To see the complete list, go <a href="https://www.inc.com/best-led-companies/2021">here</a>.
The honorees will be featured in the November issue of Inc. magazine, which is available online at<a href="https://www.inc.com/magazine"> https://www.inc.com/magazine</a> and will be on newsstands beginning November 9, 2021.
 
&nbsp;

23andMe Named in Inc.’s First-Annual Best-Led Companies

This week 23andMe made Fast Company’s first annual list of “Brands that Matter,” an award honoring companies and nonprofits with a mission or ideals that have had a cultural impact and are relevant and authentic.
This new award singles out <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/brands-that-matter/2021">95 organizations </a>that, like 23andMe, have inspired people and given them compelling reasons to care about innovation, or social issues, cultural issues, the environment, or their fellow humans. Among those on the list are not just massive multinational conglomerates, but also small companies and nonprofits. All of them have forged an emotional or meaningful connection with people. All were judged on their relevancy, cultural impact, ingenuity, and business innovation. 
“Fast Company is excited to highlight companies and organizations that have built brands with deep meaning and connections to the customers they serve,” said Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “At a time when consumers are holding companies to very high standards, businesses have much to learn from these brands that have garnered respect and trust.”<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-29242 size-large" width="1024" height="538" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-300x158.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-768x403.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-880x462.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free-1180x620.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BTM_Facebook_Shared-Image_Free.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h6>Lead with Science</h6>
It’s that trust that is probably most important to 23andMe’s brand, said Tracy Keim, Vice President of Consumer Marketing and Brand at 23andMe. 
“It started with Anne Wojcicki, (23andMe’s CEO and Co-Founder),” Tracy said. “She co-founded 23andMe to help people — to be a brand that made a difference in people’s lives — we were a brand born out of purpose, not profit.” 
23andMe is also a brand driven by science. And Fast Company pointed to two of our more recent very large scientific initiatives in singling out 23andMe for this award. 
The first was a study using genetics to look at the human impact of the <a href="https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(20)30200-7">transatlantic slave trade</a>, as part of the largest study to date of people with African ancestry in the Americas. The second is an ongoing study on the genetics associated with differences among people in <a href="https://you.23andme.com/covid19-study/">susceptibility to and severity from COVID-19</a> that involved more than a million research participants. Several findings from that study have already been published or shared, and our researchers are currently investigating the genetics of COVID-19 “long-haulers.”
“It’s exciting to see this list of brands making a difference,” said Tracy. “We’re all interested in solutions through action, not just advertising. One of 23andMe’s core values is to ‘lead with science.’ DNA data can tell us so much about problems we confront today and in the future — whether it’s studying COVID-19 or our fraught racial history, or important health issues — our team of researchers have big hearts and open minds and go where the science leads them.”
<h6>Mission Driven</h6>
It’s been almost two decades since the mapping of the human genome, the most significant scientific breakthrough of our generation. 23andMe works to bring the power of genetic science to everyone. As a brand, 23andMe has always been mission-driven, focused on helping people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. We created an industry offering people direct access to their genetic information, as well as an opportunity to participate in research if they choose. We share our research findings and ensure that those who participate in research know we’ve done it through solid science and innovation, but also with whimsy and a human touch. 
You can find a complete list of winners<a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/brands-that-matter/2021"> here</a>.
23andMe will be featured along with the other honorees in the November issue of Fast Company magazine, which is available online<a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/brands-that-matter/2021"> now</a> and will be on newsstands beginning November 2, 2021.
&nbsp;

23andMe Honored in Fast Company’s First Annual List of “Brands That Matter”

This month,<a href="https://www.comparably.com/news"> Comparably</a> included 23andMe on its list of businesses with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/large-companies-best-work-life-balance-comparably-ranking-2021-10">Best Company Work-Life Balance in 2021</a>.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="250" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-300x250.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29179" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-300x250.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-768x639.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-1024x852.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-880x732.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large-1180x982.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/work-life-balance-2021-large.png 1238w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



The list was compiled by Comparably using anonymous ratings from 23andMe employees over the last year. The pandemic has heightened many people’s focus on the difficulty of balancing their work obligations with their home responsibilities. Finding that balance was difficult even before the pandemic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-happy-at-work">Happy at Work</h2>



The award highlights companies where employees answered that they were satisfied with their work-life balance. 23andMe was listed as one of the Top 10 companies with the best work-life balance among large-sized companies, with more than 87 percent of employees saying they were <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/happy-together-at-23andme">happy with the work-life balance at 23andMe</a>.



One employee singled out how <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-anne-wojcicki-among-the-best-ceos-for-women">23andMe’s CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojcicki</a> has made this a top priority.



&#8220;I love that she values work-life balance and treats us as human beings rather than cogs in a machine. I also love her readiness to innovate&#8211;even in things like rethinking the workplace of the future.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-work-life-balance">Work-Life Balance</h2>



Long before COVID-19, 23andMe created a culture that valued getting your work done and having a healthy, vibrant life outside the office.&nbsp;



Family leave, flexible work schedules, and a robust benefits package played a role. And over the last year and a half, since the pandemic has forced most of the 23andMe employees to work from home, the company has added new and creative ways to address this new reality, from virtual movie showings to half days on Fridays to new wellness benefits. Earlier this year, 23andMe made Comparably’s list of the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/23andmes-anne-wojcicki-among-the-best-ceos-for-women/">Best CEOs for Women</a>.



Making Comparably’s list of Best Company Work-Life Balance is validation that 23andMe&#8217;s work is helping our employees navigate the new realities of the workplace.&nbsp;

Work-Life Balance at 23andMe

With the world still feeling the effects of the pandemic, the <a href="https://www.ashg.org/meetings/2021meeting/">annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics</a> will yet again be virtual this year.
Last year’s conference showed that yes, it was possible to bring together thousands of scientists through their computer screens alone. From October 18th to October 22nd, scientists will virtually gather again for a week of presentations on the latest breakthroughs in genetics.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-28236 size-medium" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 270w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 192w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 32w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-23ANDME-LOGO.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>Diversity in Genetics Research</h6>
This year’s <a href="https://www.ashg.org/publications-news/newsletter/20210922-president/">Presidential Symposium</a> will feature a series of talks on diversity, race, inclusion and equity. We’ve previously highlighted 23andMe’s efforts to make our research and product more equitable, and we look forward to learning from others in the field about how we might further improve along with the rest of the broader genomics community.
<h6>23andMe Research Presentations</h6>
The conference will include a broad range of research across the field of genomics. Several scientists from 23andMe will also be presenting some of our related research. This includes our latest research on rare diseases, a recent study of gene expression in blood of individuals of African ancestry, and improved methods for polygenic risk scores.
Here is a list of 23andMe’s presentations and posters:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/rare-disease-research/">Suyash Shringarpure</a>, PhD, Sr. Scientist I, Statistical Genetics</li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Talk: “<a href="https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/page.php?page=Session&#038;project=ASHG21&#038;id=P1310">Novel genetic associations for rare diseases with GWAS and trans-ethnic analysis of self-reported medical data</a>”</li>
<li aria-level="2">Tue, Oct 19; 4:00pm &#8211; 4:15pm ET</li>
</ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/therapeutics/kipper-fletez-brant/">Kipper Fletez-Brant</a>, PhD, Scientist II, Computational Biology</li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Poster: <a href="https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/page.php?page=Session&#038;project=ASHG21&#038;id=odP3106&#038;title=Related%20Sessions">“Black Representation in Genomics Research (BRGR) Study of eQTLs in venous blood of 23andMe research participants with African ancestry”</a></li>
<li aria-level="2">Mon, Oct 18; 5:30-6:30pm ET</li>
<li aria-level="2">PrgmNr 3700<div id="attachment_29289" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29289" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29289 size-large" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BRGR-ASHG-Poster-Kipper-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Kipper&#8217;s ASHG poster detailing preliminary data from the BRGR study.</div></li>
</ul>
<li aria-level="1">Jingchunzi Shi, PhD, Scientist II, Statistical Genetics</li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Poster: “<a href="https://eventpilotadmin.com/web/page.php?page=Session&#038;project=ASHG21&#038;id=P3291">Improving Polygenic Risk Score Transferability by Leveraging GWAS Signals from Diverse Populations</a>”</li>
<li aria-level="2">Mon, Oct 18; 5:30-6:30pm ET</li>
<li aria-level="2">PrgmNr 3885<div id="attachment_29293" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29293" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ASHG2021_Multi_Population_PRS-.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29293 size-full" width="960" height="540" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ASHG2021_Multi_Population_PRS-.jpg 960w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ASHG2021_Multi_Population_PRS--300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ASHG2021_Multi_Population_PRS--768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ASHG2021_Multi_Population_PRS--880x495.jpg 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Jingchunzi&#8217;s ASHG poster on improving polygenic risk scores for diverse populations.</div></li>
</ul>
</ul>
You can find out more about this years ASHG meeting <a href="https://www.ashg.org/meetings/2021meeting/">here</a>.

Inside 23andMe — Page 2