by Destiny Gordon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



We often blame everything on not getting enough sleep—feeling foggy, moody, exhausted, or just off. And while sleep quantity matters, what many of us don’t realize is that it’s not only about how much sleep we get—but when we get it. At the core of it all is your body’s internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm. This quiet, biological timekeeper is constantly at work, regulating everything from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28165421/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hormone release and metabolism</a> to <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-your-sleep-and-wake-cycles-affect-your-mood-2020051319792" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mood and energy</a>. And when it falls out of sync—whether due to shift work, late nights, excessive screen time, or simply inconsistent routines—your health can start to feel out of balance in ways that go far beyond basic tiredness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-circadian-rhythm">What is circadian rhythm?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25757" style="width:448px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980-1180x788.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/iStock-640228980.jpg 1254w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Circadian rhythm is the natural cycle your body goes through in a 24-hour period. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36028773/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genetics</a> plays a key role in determining circadian rhythm. In fact, the researchers who first uncovered the genetic basis of circadian rhythm won the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/nobel-worthy-sleep-science" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2017</a>. Your circadian rhythm <a href="https://nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">influences</a> when your brain is sharp, when your body digests food efficiently, and when it needs deep rest. And for women, the interaction between daily circadian rhythms and monthly hormone fluctuations creates <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35101914/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a unique layer of complexity</a>. At different points in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17383933/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">menstrual cycle</a>, shifts in estrogen and progesterone can make your body more sensitive to sleep disruption, stress, and energy dips. So if your daily rhythm is already out of sync, those hormonal shifts can hit harder—amplifying symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, poor focus, or disrupted sleep. It’s a compounding effect that makes it even more important to stay in rhythm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-when-you-re-misaligned-to-your-circadian-rhythm">What happens when you&#8217;re misaligned to your circadian rhythm?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="691" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/circadian-rhythm-disruption-691x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34017" style="width:219px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/circadian-rhythm-disruption-691x1024.png 691w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/circadian-rhythm-disruption-203x300.png 203w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/circadian-rhythm-disruption-594x880.png 594w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/circadian-rhythm-disruption.png 748w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px" /></figure>



Research has shown that <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/circadian-rhythm-disorders/causes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disruptions to this internal rhythm</a>—like being awake when your body naturally wants to be asleep, sleeping at inconsistent times due to shift work, or missing natural light cues—can throw off the timing of critical biological processes. This circadian misalignment can increase the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38564856/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risk of real, long-term health issues for</a> both men and women. These shifts are linked to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4868418/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mood disorders</a> like anxiety and depression, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21270661/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight gain</a>, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6167165/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insulin resistance</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44325-024-00024-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular issues</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945706006216" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">irregular menstrual cycle</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1556407X07001191" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and even fertility challenges</a>. And because these symptoms often start subtly, it’s easy to miss the connection until the effects become harder to ignore.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do-to-keep-our-lives-aligned-to-our-circadian-rhythm">What can we do to keep our lives aligned to our circadian rhythm?</h2>



The tricky part? Circadian disruption often hides in plain sight. It doesn’t always feel like a big, dramatic problem. It can look like staying up a little too late, skipping meals, waking up at inconsistent times, or scrolling in bed just a bit too long. These small habits may not seem like much, but if they happen repeatedly over time, they chip away at your body’s natural rhythm.&nbsp;



The good news? Once you start to tune in, you can make <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">small, manageable changes</a> to help bring your body back into sync. Things like going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends), getting exposure to natural light in the morning, limiting caffeine later in the day, and avoiding screens at least an hour before bed can all support a healthier rhythm. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about creating enough consistency that your body knows when to rise, when to rest, and everything in between.&nbsp;



Because when your body runs in rhythm, everything works better. Your mind feels clearer. Your energy lasts longer. Your health feels like it’s working with you, not against you. So maybe it’s not just about getting more sleep. Maybe it’s time to get back in sync.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



About Destiny:&nbsp; Destiny Gordon is a rising second-year medical student at Morehouse School of Medicine, originally from Jacksonville, Florida. She is the founder of InnerLight ATL, a youth mental health initiative focused on building safe, supportive spaces for emotional wellness. With over three years of experience in cancer research and a passion for community-centered care, Destiny is dedicated to blending science, advocacy, and storytelling to inform and inspire.

Your Body Clock Is Talking—Are You Listening?

By Jalen Robinson



Personalized medicine is increasingly becoming recognized as a necessary evolution of the standard of care. One key aspect of this shift is a dual understanding: that medical care based on race, ethnicity, or outward appearance is inaccurate and can lead to harm, and at the same time knowledge of genetic, cultural, and environmental factors together provide a more nuanced and complete picture of a person&#8217;s health risks and potential intervention strategies.



In this article, we explore a few health conditions—uterine fibroids, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), gestational diabetes, and atrial fibrillation—that have meaningful connections with ancestry, environment, or cultural factors. We also examine diseases such as G6PD deficiency and Tay-Sachs disease—conditions that are primarily genetic and therefore closely linked to genetic ancestry. By understanding different ways in which their unique background might influence their health, individuals and their healthcare providers can make more informed health decisions for themselves and their families.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uterine-fibroids-an-african-connection">Uterine Fibroids: An African Connection</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="494" height="203" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Uterine_Fibroids_PRS_Hero-edited.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33976" style="width:380px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Uterine_Fibroids_PRS_Hero-edited.png 494w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Uterine_Fibroids_PRS_Hero-edited-300x123.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 494px) 100vw, 494px" /></figure>



Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in the wall of the uterus. These growths can vary in size, ranging from small, undetectable nodules to large masses that distort the uterus. Symptoms of fibroids include heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating, and complications with fertility and pregnancy. Risk factors include race and ethnicity, age, family history, hormonal factors, obesity, diet, environmental toxins, and stress.



While many women may experience fibroids at some point in their lives, this condition affects women with African ancestry more commonly and severely. African American women have a<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3874080/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> three-times higher risk</a> of developing fibroids than women from other groups. Black women are also more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages, experience more severe symptoms such as infertility and pregnancy loss, and face worse outcomes, including higher rates of hospitalization. Although there are likely many contributing factors, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5330388/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vitamin D deficiency may play a role</a>: this nutrient helps regulate how cells grow and divide, but people with darker skin produce less vitamin D from sunlight.



Maintaining a healthy weight, limiting processed foods and red meat, and managing stress are beneficial in reducing risk for uterine fibroids, but there are also specific proactive steps women can take. These include<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11730732/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> reducing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals</a> like those found in personal care products and hair relaxers, and ensuring adequate levels of vitamin D in their diet. As with any health condition, regular medical check-ups are important for early detection and management of fibroids and for maintaining overall reproductive health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-liver-disease-an-indigenous-american-connection">Liver Disease: An Indigenous American Connection</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="480" height="177" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FattyLiver_PRS_Hero.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33971" style="width:380px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FattyLiver_PRS_Hero.png 480w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FattyLiver_PRS_Hero-300x111.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></figure>



Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide, marked by excess fat in the liver unrelated to alcohol use. While often silent, it can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. MASLD is strongly linked to metabolic syndrome—a group of conditions including a large waist circumference, high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.



Indigenous peoples of the Americas are disproportionately affected by MASLD and MASH. This elevated risk is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. A genetic variant in the PNPLA3 gene, known as I148M, has been linked to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6465959/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher risk of developing MASLD</a>, and is particularly common in Indigenous populations and regions with high proportions of Indigenous American ancestry. Indigenous communities also report higher rates of metabolic syndrome compared to other groups.



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7918141/#sec3-ijerph-18-01821" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historically</a>, many Indigenous societies had diets and lifestyles that may have protected against metabolic diseases. These societies typically consumed diets high in fiber, with a wide variety of seasonal plant-based foods, and maintained regular physical activity through subsistence living. However, the rapid shift away from these traditional patterns, especially in North America—driven by violent colonization, forced displacement, and systemic marginalization—has created a potential mismatch between genetic predispositions and modern environments.&nbsp;



Addressing the risk of MASLD today may benefit from restoring access to healthy foods, revitalizing traditional food systems, and encouraging physical activity in ways that respect Indigenous culture. Additionally, ensuring culturally respectful, community-led healthcare is essential for addressing MASLD risk and improving long-term outcomes for Indigenous populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gestational Diabetes: An Asian Connection</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="480" height="220" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestational_Diabetes_PRS_Hero.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33972" style="width:380px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestational_Diabetes_PRS_Hero.png 480w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gestational_Diabetes_PRS_Hero-300x138.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></figure>



Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy when the body cannot produce or effectively use enough insulin. This leads to elevated blood glucose levels, which increases the chances of preeclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure), preterm birth, and complications during labor. People who experience GDM are also at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, while their children are more likely to develop obesity and metabolic disorders.



Though GDM affects pregnancies globally, <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacasi.2024.07.010" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rates of GDM are highest</a> in individuals of East and South Asian descent, despite generally lower BMI. This heightened risk may be linked to both <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9683781/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes</a> as well as greater insulin resistance and a tendency to store fat in the abdomen (also known as visceral fat, associated with cardiometabolic disease) even at lower BMIs. Dietary patterns may compound these risks, and limited access to healthcare and low awareness of GDM may further contribute to poorer outcomes in some communities.



Prioritizing a diet high in whole grains and vegetables, avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugar, and incorporating regular physical activity—even modest forms like daily walking or yoga—can significantly improve the body&#8217;s ability to control blood sugar. Awareness and early screening are also important, especially given the higher rates of GDM even among those with lower BMIs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Atrial Fibrillation:&nbsp; A European Connection</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="480" height="208" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AFib_PRS_Hero.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33973" style="width:380px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AFib_PRS_Hero.png 480w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/AFib_PRS_Hero-300x130.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></figure>



Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, marked by an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that can reduce blood flow and increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications. Symptoms may include palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, or dizziness, though some people remain asymptomatic. <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/atrial-fibrillation/causes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AFib risk rises</a> with age, and conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use are major contributors.



In multiple studies, AFib shows the <a href="https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.04.110" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest prevalence</a> in White populations, <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14403-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scandinavian countries</a>, and countries with high proportions of European ancestry. The higher prevalence does not appear to be explained by differences in lifestyle risk factors or by differences in diagnosis rates. Although the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circep.114.001909" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic variants</a> identified to date are not especially frequent in European populations compared to other groups, one intriguing study has shown an association between AFib risk and <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.110.958306" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">degree of European genetic ancestry</a>. Additionally, individuals with Northern European ancestry tend to be <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3480734/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taller on average</a>, and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joim.12717" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased height and body size</a> are associated with a greater risk of AFib, perhaps due to greater load on the heart. 



To help mitigate the risk of atrial fibrillation, there are several <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/treatment-and-prevention-of-atrial-fibrillation/prevention-strategies-for-atrial-fibrillation-afib-or-af" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a> people can adopt. Maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in moderate physical activity, managing other health conditions, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding smoking are all important. Since rates of AFib remain high even in Scandinavian countries known for healthy lifestyles, individuals with known genetic risk factors or a family history of AFib should consider regular heart rhythm monitoring and consult with a healthcare provider for personalized screening.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Genetic Ancestry and Health</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="966" height="966" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33974" style="width:200px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe.png 966w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-300x300.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-768x768.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-880x880.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/haplogroup-globe-574x574.png 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 966px) 100vw, 966px" /></figure>



Some health conditions are primarily genetic, meaning they are caused by inherited changes in specific genes rather than lifestyle or environmental factors. Because these variations are passed down through families, the risk of developing or carrying certain genetic disorders can vary significantly depending on one’s ancestry. These inherited conditions often reflect patterns shaped over thousands of years by human migration, geographic isolation, and natural selection—making genetic ancestry a powerful lens through which to understand personal health risks.



Take <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470315/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency</a>, for example. This inherited condition affects how red blood cells function, potentially leading to fatigue, jaundice, or anemia—especially when triggered by certain foods, medications, or infections. G6PD deficiency is particularly common in people of African, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian descent, with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3496665/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prevalence rates</a> as high as 25% in some regions. Just like sickle cell trait, the high frequency of G6PD deficiency is thought to stem from a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6171532/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic advantage</a>: people who carry a G6PD variant are more resistant to certain forms of malaria, an infectious disease that historically plagued these areas. Similarly, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/tay-sachs-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tay-Sachs disease</a> is a rare but serious neurodegenerative disorder that is more prevalent in Ashkenazi Jewish, French Canadian, and Cajun populations. This is largely due to what geneticists call a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1216062/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">founder effect</a>, where a small ancestral group passes on a limited set of genes—some of which may carry disease-causing variants.



In communities where certain genetic risks are more common, genetic screening and counseling have already made a major <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11216898/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impact</a>. However, understanding your genetic ancestry—rather than making assumptions based on appearance, social identity, or cultural heritage—is what really matters for identifying these inherited health risks. As our knowledge and the cost of mapping genetic ancestry and health predispositions continues to improve, so does our potential to address inherited health risks in more personalized and proactive ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Personalizing Health</h2>



Our DNA plays a key role in health, offering insights into inherited traits and potential risks. Together with cultural background and lived experiences, these factors all shape our health in ways unique to each of us. Understanding both your genetic ancestry and cultural context can support proactive care through early screenings, personalized lifestyle choices, and more informed conversations with healthcare providers. As populations grow more diverse, moving beyond outdated assumptions based on race and focusing on the full picture—biology, ancestry, and culture—can help improve care and reduce health disparities.



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/working-on-23andmes-african-american-genetic-groups-project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about Jalen Robinson, a student at Morehouse School of Medicine and former Research Diversity intern at 23andMe, who helped develop our African American Genetic Groups</a>

Connecting Health and Ancestry: A Look at Genetics and Cultural Factors

23andMe’s 2023 summer intern program is in full swing and we have another exceptional class of talented young people. This year, our class of interns are working mostly on Therapeutics programs. They’ve come to us from institutions across the United States.



For a little inspiration, read on to learn about our interns and what they’ll be doing this summer.



If you still have questions, email <a href="mailto:internships@23andme.com">internships@23andme.com</a>.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gabby-rabadam">Gabby Rabadam</h6>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-functional-genomics-intern-therapeutics">Functional Genomics Intern, Therapeutics</h6>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gabby-Rabadam.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31945" width="150" height="149"/></figure>



Gabby is passionate about using multi-omics and bioinformatic approaches to study autoimmunity, which she’s currently exploring during her Ph.D. at UCSF. She’s excited to dive in as a member of the Functional Genomics team in Therapeutics. Gabby grew up in California&#8217;s Central Valley and spent five years in Boston for school and work before coming back to California for Graduate School. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Alex Heiler</h6>



Antibody &amp; Protein Engineering Intern, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Alex-Heiler.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31943" width="150" height="169"/></figure>



Alex is interested in treating diseases using enhanced therapeutic and drug delivery platforms. He is excited to contribute to Antibody and Protein Engineering in Therapeutics, working on new antibody epitope mapping methods based on mass spectrometry. He is always ready to learn a new skill or technique around the lab. Alex grew up in Sacramento and attended Santa Clara University for his undergraduate studies. He is currently pursuing a PhD in bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Max Yan</h6>



Immunology Intern, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Max-Yan.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31942" width="150" height="139"/></figure>



Max is a doctoral student in Microbiology and Immunology at University of Illinois, Chicago. His research focuses on host-cell interaction of New World Arenavirus. He will be working with the Immunology Group in Therapeutics researching novel therapeutics this summer. Max grew up in Zhengzhou, China, and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill for his undergraduate studies. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Shilpa Shaju</h6>



Legal Intern, Privacy &amp; Product&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Shilpa-Shaju.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31941" width="150" height="176" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Shilpa-Shaju.jpg 596w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Shilpa-Shaju-255x300.jpg 255w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></figure>



Shilpa is law student at the University of California, School of Law, San Francisco. Prior to attending law school, Shilpa worked at an immigration law firm in New York and graduated as the Salutatorian of her undergraduate class. Having completed her CIPP/US Certification and recently worked on global privacy issues for UN General Assembly, she is very excited to join the Privacy and Product Team in Legal, where privacy is treated as a human right. Shilpa grew up in New York and moved to San Francisco for law school.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Corinne Sexton</h6>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Corinne-Sexton.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31972" width="149" height="194" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Corinne-Sexton.jpg 594w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Corinne-Sexton-229x300.jpg 229w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 149px) 100vw, 149px" /></figure>



Computational Target Biology Intern, Therapeutics



Corinne recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she studied the 3D structure of the human genome. A Southern California native and mother of two young boys, she&#8217;s excited to be back in the Golden State. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Ayanna Muhammad</h6>



Research Diversity &amp; Collaborations Intern, Research&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ayanna-Muhammad.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31939" width="150" height="176" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ayanna-Muhammad.jpg 598w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ayanna-Muhammad-256x300.jpg 256w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></figure>



After living with a hemoglobinopathy herself, Ayanna became very interested in hemoglobin disorders such as sickle cell and thalassemia. Knowing one’s carrier status for these disorders and how that affects the medical care people receive has become a passion for her. She is extremely excited to join the Sickle Cell Carrier Status Awareness Program and help the team expand their initiative so more people are aware of their status. Ayanna is from Lansing, Michigan and moved to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Spelman College. After obtaining her Master of Science in Medical Sciences degree, she was accepted into the M.D. program at Morehouse School of Medicine where she will start her second year in the fall. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Nanjie Chen</h6>



R&amp;D Scientist Intern, Data Science Modeling, Research&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Nanjie-Chen.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31938" width="150" height="208" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Nanjie-Chen.jpg 602w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Nanjie-Chen-217x300.jpg 217w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></figure>



Nanjie, a Ph.D. student in Applied Mathematics, is deeply passionate about the intersection of data science, machine learning, and biology. She&#8217;ll work with the Health R&amp;D team at 23andMe as a Data Scientist Intern. Nanjie will leverage her skills to develop predictive health models which help customers make better decisions for their health. Originally from the coastal city of Dalian in Northeastern China, Nanjie now lives in Boston.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Shaopeng Liu</h6>



Computational Biology Intern, Single Cell Methods Development, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Shaopeng-Liu.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31937" width="150" height="218"/></figure>



Shaopeng is a computational biologist in metagenomics. He utilizes and develops sketching-based algorithms to analyze metagenomic samples; and leverage knowledge graphs to mine novel insights from multi-omic data. It brings him immense joy to be joining the Computational Biology Group and contributing to method development for multi-omic single-cell data. Shaopeng is pursuing Ph.D. at Penn State.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Ruth Elgamal</h6>



Computational Biology Intern, Statistical Models for Functional Genomics Assays, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ruth-Elgamal.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31936" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ruth-Elgamal-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ruth-Elgamal-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ruth-Elgamal-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ruth-Elgamal-574x574.jpg 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></figure>



Ruth is interested in leveraging genetic data to advance drug discovery, particularly in the context of metabolic disorders. For her Ph.D., she is integrating population-scale metabolomics and genomics. She is looking forward to joining the Computational Biology team in Therapeutics and building statistical models to evaluate functional genomic assays while actively learning from others on the team. Ruth is originally from Canada, spent time in Boston and is now living in California.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Rebeca Lion</h6>



Antibody &amp; Protein Engineering Intern, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rebeca-Lion-e1687820925392.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31935" width="150" height="167" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rebeca-Lion-e1687820925392.jpg 596w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Rebeca-Lion-e1687820925392-268x300.jpg 268w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></figure>



Rebeca is joining the Therapeutics team for the summer as an Antibody and Protein Engineering Intern. She has always been interested in genetics as a tool to drive change, and is excited to work on antibody discovery over the next few months.&nbsp;Born and raised in Brazil, Rebeca came to the U.S. for her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Glen Osiemo</h6>



Therapeutics Development Intern,&nbsp;Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Glen-Osiemo-.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31933" width="150" height="167"/></figure>



Glen&#8217;s passion for supporting the development of innovative healthcare solutions is evident in his pursuit of a dual Pharm D and masters in applied health economics and outcomes research. This combination of clinical pharmacy knowledge and expertise in health economics will equip him with a unique skill set to contribute to the field of therapeutic drug development. He&#8217;ll be working with the immuno-oncology group at 23andMe.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Gabby Villalpando Torres’s</h6>



Biology Intern, Therapeutics



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gabby-Villalpando-Torres.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31944" width="149" height="187" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gabby-Villalpando-Torres.jpg 596w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gabby-Villalpando-Torres-239x300.jpg 239w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 149px) 100vw, 149px" /></figure>



Gabby is fascinated with understanding the mechanics of biology and has devoted herself to exploring various themes in this field, currently focusing on the study of cardiovascular function. A native of California’s Central Valley, she earned her BS in Bioengineering at UC Merced and is currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara. She’ll be applying working on screening for therapeutic targets linked to cardiometabolic diseases.

A collage of photos of 23andMe's 2023 summer interns.

Summer of 2023 Interns

Say Hey to Our 2022 Interns

Summer’s not over yet, and neither is our welcome to interns.&nbsp;
We introduced you to our first batch of <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/2022-interns">summer interns last month</a>. This month we’re welcoming the next group of interns who’ll be joining us this summer.
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.&nbsp;
&nbsp;If you still have questions, email internships@23andme.com.&nbsp;

<h6>James Stumpff</h6>
Immuno-oncology Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29928" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/James-Stumpf-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/James-Stumpf-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/James-Stumpf-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
James is a doctoral candidate for Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Riverside. He’s researching host responses to influenza infection, looking at differences in immune cell responses in mild and severe cases. His hope is to create new host-targeted therapeutics. James wants to also leverage his background in immunology to help in the development of new cancer therapies. This summer he’ll be using his skills and interest during his time with the Immuno-Oncology Group in Therapeutics.

<h6>Paige Pistono</h6>
Antibody &amp; Protein Engineering Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29927" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-574x574.png 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/paige-pistono-980x980.png 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Paige is a doctoral student in Chemical Biology at UC Berkeley. Her focus is on using protein engineering techniques to improve virus-like particles for drug delivery applications. This summer she’ll be working with the Antibody and Protein Engineering Group in Therapeutics researching new antibody therapies.

<h6>Chris Mansfield</h6>
Antibody &amp; Protein Engineering Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29926" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153-300x298.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Chris-Mansfield-e1657579827153.jpg 557w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Chris is working toward a graduate degree in molecular biology. His research focuses on validating druggable targets and novel inhibitors that could be used to develop therapeutics for drug-resistant malaria. At 23andMe, he’ll be interning with the Antibody and Protein Engineering group.&nbsp;

<h6>Cam Lamoureux</h6>
Computational Biology Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29925" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-300x297.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-768x761.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-1024x1015.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-880x872.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-1180x1170.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux-980x980.jpg 980w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cam-Lamoureux.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Cam loves using cutting-edge machine learning and bioinformatics methods to extract knowledge from genome sequences. For his internship, he’ll be working with the Therapeutics team to leverage genomic data for identification of novel therapeutic targets.

<h6>Rickie Chen</h6>
Platform Design Intern, Product<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29924" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-574x574.png 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Rickie_Chen_Headshot-980x980.png 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Rickie is interested in crafting efficient and innovative product designs for the healthcare space. He will be joining the Product Design team this summer as a Platform Design Intern and will be contributing to the design system and exploring product strategy at 23andMe.

<h6>Jinrong Ma</h6>
Antibody &amp; Protein Engineering Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29923" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Headshot_Jinrong-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Jinrong has been working on protein engineering to develop supramolecular nanostructures and safer therapeutics biomaterials. He’ll join the Protein Engineering Group in Therapeutics this summer working on the development of novel antibodies.

<h6>Elijah Gray</h6>
Communications Intern, Communications<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29922" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Elijah-Gray-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Elijah-Gray-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Elijah-Gray-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Elijah-Gray-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Elijah-Gray-574x574.png 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Elijah has been writing and telling stories online since the minute he could pick up a keyboard. He’ll be applying those skills as an internal and external Communications team intern.

<h6>Sasha Yousefi</h6>
R&amp;D Scientist Intern, Product<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29921" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-271x271.jpeg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-372x372.jpeg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-574x574.jpeg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sasha-Yousefi-980x980.jpeg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Sasha is working on her master’s degree in data science at Stanford University. She’ll be applying her skills on research and development with the product team to help build new predictive machine learning models.&nbsp;

<h6>Sneha Ganguly</h6>
Immunology Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29920" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-574x574.png 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sneha-Ganguly-980x980.png 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Sneha spent five years at UC San Diego studying the association between respiratory allergies and DNA damage in lung cancer. She’ll be interning with the Therapeutics team developing immunology therapeutics.

<h6>Sai Preethi Nakkina</h6>
Metabolic &amp; Cardiovascular Target Discovery Intern, Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29919" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sai-Preethi-Nakkina-e1657579687494.jpg 554w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Preethi has already worked in therapeutics research, but will be interning with 23andMe on the team searching for drug targets for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

<h6>Cassandra Nguyen</h6>
Creative Design Intern, Product<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29918" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-574x574.png 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cassandra-Nguyen-e1657579726210-980x980.png 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
Cassandra Nguyen is a graphic designer, visual development and lettering artist with a passion for storytelling and audience engagement. She is fresh out of college but already has experience making short-films, and children’s books, receiving awards for her work. She hopes to apply those skills to her time at 23andMe.&nbsp;

Our 2022 Interns Part Two

23andMe’s internship program provides a diverse array of people with valuable experience and room to grow personally and professionally. The 2021 class of interns was the first to operate remotely, which allowed interns to contribute their talents and insights to the Gene Pool from every corner of the country. 
Read what some of our interns shared about what they accomplished, enjoyed, and experienced during their ten weeks with 23andMe. 
&nbsp;

<h6>Marcos Sandoval, IT Help Desk Intern &#8211; IT <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marcos-S-1-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29086" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marcos-S-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marcos-S-1-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marcos-S-1-372x372.jpg 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
In this internship, I’ve learned how to use and provision various enterprise-level tools to help triage any and all IT-related issues. I have also been managing user permissions and troubleshooting problems! Something exciting I have been working on is helping prepare our Sunnyvale IT inventory for the move into a new location. Working at 23andMe has been an exciting opportunity so far, and I’ve learned much in the brief time I’ve spent here.
&nbsp;

<h6>Enyonam Odoom, Healthcare Operations Intern &#8211; Healthcare Operations <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O-150x150.png" alt="Photo of Enyonam Odoom" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-28974" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O-300x300.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Enyonam-O.png 499w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
I&#8217;ve really enjoyed meeting with all the researchers at the company during my time here. Everyone, including researchers outside of my direct team, opened their calendars to me. It&#8217;s been a great opportunity to learn about what work is being done here, get career advice and mentorship, and just understand what working at 23andMe full time is like. I really appreciated that part of the internship. I&#8217;ve also loved learning more about how we can use genetics to help improve health, as that&#8217;s not something that was really emphasized while I was in school.
&nbsp;

<h6>Taylor Cavazos, Computational Biology Intern &#8211; Therapeutics<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29009" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-980x980.jpg 980w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
As a computational biology intern with 23andMe’s Therapeutics team, I’m working on an exciting project that incorporates ancestry to identify variants in the human genome that alter our gene expression. It has been amazing to have the opportunity to conduct research at 23andMe that prioritizes the inclusion of diverse participants and has the potential to drive the development of new therapies. I not only enjoy working with the incredible researchers at 23andMe, but also the overall culture and environment that encourages creativity! 
&nbsp;

<h6>Mark McAdam, Secure Amazon Web Services Intern &#8211; Security <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Mark-McAdams-e1628805752795-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29087" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Mark-McAdams-e1628805752795-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Mark-McAdams-e1628805752795-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
If Terraform feels like a superpower when it comes to provisioning resources in AWS, running Terragrunt on top of Terraform feels like managing a team of superheroes. It&#8217;s literally that powerful. I am on a team that is building an application stack that allows people to provision resources to use in AWS without having to worry if they are building it securely, the safeguards are in place. 
Every day I come to work, I get to rub shoulders with a team of brilliant individuals as I try to match their skill and enthusiasm. I get to work on solving problems that have real-world implications. 
&nbsp;

<h6>Cailyn Schiltz, Internal Communications Intern &#8211; Communications<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S-150x150.png" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-28969" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S-300x300.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Cailyn-S.png 499w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
Working in Internal Comms has taught me just how important every facet of a company is. I planned a Customer Panel for National Sisters&#8217; Day, and getting to see the real-world impacts of 23andMe was so powerful. People find families and can learn life-changing information from their genetic reports, and none of that would be possible without everyone at the company doing their part. Internal Comms is the glue holding the whole operation together. 
This internship has challenged not only my writing skills, but my creativity and leadership skills. I was responsible for weekly newsletters, DEI initiatives, and redesigning the company intranet. What made it truly special was the culture at 23andMe and the incredible team I got to work with. I felt like my thoughts were valued and had an impact, and I was comfortable stepping outside of my comfort zone. Interning with 23andMe gave me experience in a new field, a broader perspective on what it means to be a communicator, and the confidence to push myself to learn.
&nbsp;

<h6>Bhairavi Swaminathan, Statistical Genetics Intern &#8211; Research<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29008" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
My internship goal was to replicate and test a publicly available fine-mapping tool with publicly available GWAS data. I definitely learned a lot both in aspects of science and skill sets &#8211; I got to process large datasets and code in a new language. Working at 23andMe has been an amazing experience: I learned a lot about different roles in different departments. People are approachable, friendly, and excited about what they do. I especially enjoyed working with my mentor, Karl, and the discussions with my colleague, Pierre. 
&nbsp;

<h6>April Orozco, Environmental Health &amp; Safety Specialist Intern &#8211; Workplace <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/April-O-150x150.png" alt="A photo of April Orozco" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-28968" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/April-O-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/April-O-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/April-O-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
I am most proud of seeing the South San Francisco lab flourish even amidst a global pandemic! With EH&amp;S programs being more thoroughly developed as 23andMe&#8217;s Therapeutics department grows, I feel like I truly have been granted a one-of-a-kind opportunity to identify, develop, and mature EH&amp;S programs that can have a lasting effect. Also, everyone I have met in the office and virtually  have been remarkably open to filling in any gaps in my knowledge. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to dive into the field with a company fueled by such an amazing mission.
&nbsp;

<h6>Alix Henderson, Archives Intern &#8211; Office of the CEO<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Alix-H-150x150.png" alt="A photo of Alix Henderson" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-28976" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Alix-H-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Alix-H-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Alix-H-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
Learning about the 15 year history of 23andMe through its internal archive has been a unique experience within itself. I am most proud of the improvements I have made in organizing and formatting our archived documents for more successful search and retrieval by the 23andMe team. Advancing the accessibility of these documents promotes the efficiency and education of the company&#8217;s growing success. In partnership with the other Archives Intern, Christina Li, we have developed a written account of the history of 23andMe for onboarding team members to potentially utilize in the future. 
Being able to express the milestones that 23andMe has achieved through the years testifies to the culture of the company itself and why I have enjoyed working here through the summer. I have been challenged in developing my archival knowledge and promoted to connect with multiple departments to continue my growth as a student and young professional.
&nbsp;

<h6>Ayanna Ajilore, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Intern- People Team <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ayanna-A-150x150.png" alt="A photo of Ayanna Ajilore" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-28964" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ayanna-A-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ayanna-A-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ayanna-A-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></h6>
This was my first time working full-time in DEI, so this summer, I really wanted to learn not just about 23andMe but also if this is the type of work I really want to do every day. Fortunately, not only did I affirm that I love this work, but I also found a place that welcomes me to do it to my heart&#8217;s content.
My work involves having a lot of fingers in a lot of different pots, which gave me the chance to see different sides of the job. I  spent the summer actively working on projects to improve our company and our product which was really refreshing. Some companies and people shy away from confronting their issues in DEI, but here, I spend so much time just helping people figure out how to get past a hurdle on a current project or get started on a new one.
While we still have a long way to go, I believe that 23andMe is really a company to watch in this field and I hope that I am able to continue to contribute to its journey.

Intern-al Perspectives

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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ludovico-V-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Taylor-Cavazos_Headshot-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bhairavi-S-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tiffany-Lee-e1624647683639-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Jason-Chan-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Kunling-H-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christina_Li_headshot-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Marcos-Sandoval-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Headshot-Kenneth-Nguyen-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/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.

Summer Interns 2021, Part II

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-initiative-accelerates-access-to-vital-genetic-and-clinical-insights">Data initiative accelerates access to vital genetic and clinical insights</h5>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="675" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2.png" alt="Illustration of lungs on a background with a larger illustration of lungs" class="wp-image-34192" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2.png 1200w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2-300x169.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2-1024x576.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2-768x432.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2-880x495.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/lung-double-edited-2-1180x664.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure>



At the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona, the 23andMe Research Institute, in collaboration with Troper Wojcicki Philanthropies and the health data software company Lifebit, introduced an open-source platform that could help fast-track research discoveries through a powerful new cancer data repository.



The announcement comes just a year after the start of the<a href="https://www.23andme.com/lung-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Lung Cancer Genetics Study</a>, spearheaded by 23andMe and bringing together more than 20 lung cancer advocacy and science organizations to recruit 10,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer. Their goal is to develop new ways to identify those at highest risk for lung cancer early, while also finding possible new treatments for this deadly cancer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Personal Drive Behind the Mission</h2>



The effort is personal for many of the advocates who are part of the collaboration and also for Anne Wojcicki, founder and CEO of the 23andMe Research Institute. Anne&#8217;s sister Susan Wojcicki died of lung cancer last year, just as the study began.



&#8220;My sister was passionate about understanding the science behind lung cancer so future generations could prevent the disease and treat it. The Lung Cancer Genetics Study is a step towards achieving that.” Anne said.



In the months before her death, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-legacy-of-hope-in-the-fight-against-lung-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Susan had been very involved in helping to create the study with the hope that it could help others</a>. The idea was not just to leverage genetic data for insights into lung cancer but also to create a repository of data that would be available to as many qualified researchers as possible.&nbsp;



The platform — created through the collaboration between the 23andMe Research Institute, Troper Wojcicki Philanthropies, and Lifebit — offers a secure, open-source data platform for researchers to access this novel dataset. Powered by Lifebit&#8217;s Health Data Ecosystem, the platform provides qualified researchers with no-cost access to de-identified data from people diagnosed with lung cancer who have consented to participate in this research.&nbsp;



&#8220;More people die of lung cancer each year than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined, yet it is one of the least funded for research. It’s important for this powerful new tool to be available at no cost to qualified researchers so that the best minds can work on unlocking the genetic insights that may lead to a cure,&#8221; said Anne.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Building a One-of-a-Kind Data Resource</h2>



Since launching the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-launches-new-genetic-study-of-lung-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lung Cancer Genetics Study</a>, more than 1,200 people diagnosed with lung cancer have enrolled to participate in the research. The goal is to enroll 10,000 people by 2027, but the study has already assembled one of the most diverse cohorts ever for lung cancer genetic research.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="464" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-1024x464.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-34183" style="width:242px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-1024x464.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-300x136.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-768x348.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-880x399.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/teal_waldos-1180x534.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Genetics is just one of many factors involved in why some people develop lung cancer. Exposure to tobacco smoke is perhaps the best-known risk factor; however, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2409903/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">80 to 90%</a> of people with a history of tobacco exposure never get lung cancer, and many people without tobacco exposure get the disease. These facts underscore the importance of investigating other, less well-known risk factors, like air pollution, radon exposure, and workplace-related exposures.



And there&#8217;s much more we don&#8217;t know about lung cancer. Many do not realize, for instance, that lung cancer is the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2025/2025-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">number one cause of cancer death in women</a> and <a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/most-common-cancers-in-women#:~:text=It%20may%20not%20surprise%20you,in%20women%20and%20people%20AFAB." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the second most common cancer in women</a>. Although lung cancer overall is decreasing because of declines in tobacco use, lung cancer among people who have never smoked <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7431055/#:~:text=As%20expected%2C%20the%20primary%20factor%20leading%20to,non%2Dsmokers%20has%20been%20noted%20to%20be%20increasing." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is stable or increasing</a>, and <a href="https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/features/lung-cancer-women-who-never-smoked" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two-thirds of people diagnosed with lung cancer with no smoking history are women</a>.&nbsp;



Understanding the genetics of lung cancer may help unravel some of the factors underlying those statistics. Additionally, learning more about the underlying genetics could provide researchers with more insight into the biological mechanisms of the disease, aiding in the development of improved therapies and new diagnostics.&nbsp;



The de-identified data that participants in the Lung Cancer Genetic Study consented to share isn’t limited to just genetics. Many participants also chose to provide self-reported clinical, lifestyle, and even tumor biomarker data. The study will also follow participants over time, gathering important longitudinal data to help researchers understand the progression of cancer as well as the response to treatments.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Empowering Researchers</h2>



By opening up access to qualified researchers, the collaborators aim to address significant gaps in current lung cancer research, break down institutional silos, and remove barriers to dataset access, thereby accelerating research progress.&nbsp;



&#8220;We&#8217;re delivering more than a data system — we&#8217;re enabling an entirely new model for research equity and access,&#8221; said Nadia Litterman, PhD, Director of Scientific Affairs and Partnerships at Troper Wojcicki Philanthropies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Find Out More</h2>



Anyone who has been diagnosed with lung cancer can learn more and enroll in the study at<a href="http://23andme.com/lung-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> 23andme.com/lung-cancer</a>.



Interested researchers can begin the data access request process by contacting TWP study program manager Caitlin Nichols at <a href="mailto:caitlin@twphilanthropies.org">caitlin@twphilanthropies.org</a>.&nbsp;

Illustration of lungs on a background with a larger illustration of lungs

Powerful New Tool Opens Lung Cancer Data for Research Breakthroughs

Health Huddle LIVE from New Orleans brought together top athletes, medical professionals, and community leaders for powerful conversations on health, genetics, and early detection. Hosted at Dillard University during Super Bowl Week, the event was part of 23andMe’s Community Health Huddle, featuring expert panels and free health screenings. 



Watch the Highlights: 



<figure class="wp-block-embed alignwide is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="The 23andMe Health Huddle: Live from New Orleans" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5hOR4o5PkAU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experts-athletes-amp-actionable-insights">Experts, Athletes &amp; Actionable Insights</h2>



Panelists included Dr. Jen Caldwell, Dr. Joel Bervell, and Dr. Mathew Knowles—a breast cancer survivor and 23andMe Global Brand Ambassador—who shared personal stories and insights on health disparities, preventive medicine, and genetic testing. They were joined by NFL Total Health Ambassadors, highlighting how genetic insights shape performance, recovery, and longevity in sports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-takeaways">Key Takeaways</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Genetic Testing Saves Lives – Understanding your genetic risks enables early detection and prevention, reducing the burden of chronic diseases. </li>



<li>Your Family History is Your Health Roadmap – What runs in your family doesn’t have to define your future, but knowing your risks empowers healthier decisions. </li>



<li>Health Inequities Must Be Addressed – Underserved communities continue to lack access to vital genetic and preventive care. This must change. </li>



<li>Athletes Rely on Science to Perform &amp; Recover – The same genetic insights that help pros optimize their health can help everyone make more informed health choices.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-the-event-driving-change">Beyond the Event: Driving Change</h2>



Health Huddle LIVE reinforced a core truth: genetic insights aren’t just about ancestry—they’re a tool for taking control of your health and advocating for better healthcare access. By bringing together medicine, sports, and community leadership, 23andMe continues to lead the movement for health equity and empowerment.



 #HealthHuddleLIVE #GeneticHealth #CommunityWellness

Inside Health Huddle LIVE: Athletes, Experts & Doctors on Longevity, Genetics & Wellness

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, which offers us another chance to highlight some of the work 23andMe and its collaborators have done over the years.



Earlier this month, researchers from 23andMe,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nih.gov/" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the the National Institutes of Health</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine</a> published new data on the association between sickle cell trait and blood clots. The new findings highlight the importance of this ongoing research and our overall efforts to illuminate this condition.



At 23andMe, knowledge is power, and understanding risks offers people opportunities to mitigate them.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-awareness-and-research">Awareness and Research</h2>



But more than that, 23andMe also offers a unique research model that allows individuals to learn about their genetic likelihood of developing a condition and participate in innovative genetic research that could potentially find new treatments.



As part of our <a href="http://www.23andme.com/sickle-cell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sickle Cell Carrier Status Awareness Program</a>, 23andMe has collaborated with academics and advocacy organizations to increase <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/sickle-cell-awareness-2">understanding of sickle cell</a>. In addition, we’re providing resources for those with sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease. With the help of the<a href="https://www.sicklecellga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Inc. (SCFG)</a>,<a href="https://www.btsscycle.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Breaking the SSickle Cell Cycle</a>,<a href="https://www.sc101.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Sickle Cell 101</a>, and the<a href="https://www.msm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Morehouse School of Medicine</a>, we’re working with Black communities to promote awareness. 



We are not alone in this effort. Recently, the NBA, the WNBA, and Wilson Sporting Goods began the #IBall4SickleCell social media campaign to raise awareness. The groups participating in the effort are Breaking the SSickle Cell Cycle, the American Red Cross of Tennessee, and New York Presbyterian’s Dalio Center for Health Justice. Learn more about sickle cell, the campaign, and how to help<a href="https://www.sicklecellball.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> here</a>. 



From all this work and research, we have learned much about sickle cell and the people it impacts most. However, much work is still needed to improve people’s understanding of sickle cell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-on-sickle-cell-anemia-sickle-cell-trait">More on Sickle Cell Anemia, Sickle Cell Trait</h2>



Although many people have heard of sickle cell, often they do not know the difference between sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia.



To have sickle cell anemia, one must inherit two copies of the HbS variant in the HBB gene—one copy from each biological parent. Typical signs and symptoms include anemia, pain episodes, and frequent infection.



People with just one copy of the HbS variant are called carriers. They’re also said to have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/traits.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">sickle cell trait</a>. People with sickle cell trait are not expected to have sickle cell anemia. They typically do not experience any health complications. However, in rare cases, people with the sickle cell trait may experience some health impacts. Current research, including our study, is underway to understand better and spread awareness about the complications someone with SCT may experience.



Importantly, carriers can pass their variant on to their future children. If their partner has the HbS variant or another variant in the HBB gene, there’s a 25 percent chance that each child may have sickle cell anemia or a related blood disorder.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-23andme-s-sickle-cell-anemia-carrier-status-report">23andMe’s Sickle Cell Anemia Carrier Status Report**</h2>



23andMe’s<a target="_blank" href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/carrier/sickle-cell-anemia/" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Sickle Cell Anemia Carrier Status Report</a>, which meets FDA requirements for clinical and analytical validity, looks at the HbS variant in the HBB gene linked to sickle cell anemia.



Sickle cell anemia is the most severe form of sickle cell disease. Three hundred million people worldwide and one in 13 Black and African Americans in the United States have sickle cell trait, making them carriers for sickle cell anemia.



In addition to informing people if they have one copy of the HbS variant and are carriers for sickle cell anemia, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-updates-carrier-status-report-on-sickle-cell-anemia">23andMe’s report </a>can also tell individuals if they have two copies of the tested variant and if they are at risk of developing symptoms. However, the report does not describe one’s overall risk of developing symptoms. 



Because the HbS variant is more common in certain populations, the Sickle Cell Anemia report is most relevant to people of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian descent, as well as people from the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and parts of Central and South America.



23andMe Health + Ancestry Service customers and 23andMe+ Premium members can see their <a target="_blank" href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/carrier.sickle_cell_anemia/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sickle Cell Anemia report here</a>.&nbsp;



Not yet a customer? Learn more about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/?_gl=1*11ns9j4*_ga*OTk4NDAyMjA3LjE3MTgzODA2MTg.*_ga_G330GF3ZFF*MTcyNTQxNDcyOS4xNjQuMS4xNzI1NDE0Nzk4LjAuMC4w" rel="noreferrer noopener">all that 23andMe offers here</a>.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-note">Note:</h2>



**The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults to report carrier status and reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. The relevance of each report may vary based on ethnicity. Our carrier status reports can be used to determine carrier status but cannot determine if you have two copies of any genetic variant. These carrier reports are not intended to tell you anything about your risk for developing a disease in the future, the health of your fetus, or your newborn child’s risk of developing a particular disease later in life. We provide a single report for certain conditions that includes information on carrier status and genetic health risk. For important information and limitations regarding other genetic health risk reports and carrier status reports, click <a target="_blank" href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

An illustration for 23andMe's Sickle Cell Carrier Statues Awareness Program.

Learn More About Our Research and Collaborations During Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Editor&#8217;s note 7/8/2024: This post has been updated since 2020. In addition, We do not support uploading DNA data obtained from other testing services to 23andMe. This article explains the risks of uploading your DNA data to third party services.
With all of <a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">23andMe&#8217;s services</a>, you’re in charge of your genetic data. That means we let you decide what information you want to learn and what information you want to share. However, you need to be informed about the risks of sharing your genetic data with other services. This includes understanding the implications if you decide to upload DNA to 23andMe or any third-party service.
After receiving <a class="waffle-rich-text-link" href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-reports-list/">personalized genetic reports</a> from 23andMe, customers can choose to download their raw DNA data. Some customers may do this to upload their data to third-party services, which offer to interpret their raw DNA data to find new genetic relatives or get additional genetic reports. However, 23andMe cannot vouch for the scientific validity or accuracy, or clarity in communication of results of any such third-party services. In fact, only 23andMe offers a consumer genetic test with health reports that have FDA&#8217;s independent assurance of validity and clear results (without requiring a prescription).
Beyond concerns about scientific validity, uploading your raw DNA data to a third-party service can also put <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">your data privacy</a> at risk. In part, this is why 23andMe provides important warnings to its customers before they choose to download.
<h2>What are some of the risks of uploading your DNA data to a third-party website? </h2>
<div id="attachment_27862" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/how-to-be-careful-with-your-raw-dna-data/what-is-dna-upload" rel="attachment wp-att-27862"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27862" class="size-medium wp-image-27862" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/What-is-DNA-Upload-300x128.jpg" alt="An illustration of the steps for downloading data." width="300" height="128" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/What-is-DNA-Upload-300x128.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/What-is-DNA-Upload.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Most consumer genetics companies, including 23andMe, allow you to download your own raw DNA data. At that point, the customer is free to do what they like with their raw DNA data, such as deciding to upload that raw DNA data to third-party services.</div>
At 23andMe, we’re clear with our users about the risks of using third-party services that provide additional health, wellness or trait insights. This is because only select genotype data used specifically in our Health reports have been individually validated for accuracy. While the rest of your data has undergone a general quality review, it has not been validated to the extent of the data underlying our official 23andMe reports. As a result, raw DNA data should not be used for medical purposes and we do not recommend the use of third-party services that claim to interpret raw DNA data to provide health information.
Consumers also cite concerns about law enforcement uploading crime-scene DNA data to third-party services to crack a cold case. Simply put, uploading crime-scene DNA data into the 23andMe environment is not possible because we do not support the upload of DNA data that has been processed by a third-party laboratory.
Further, 23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/transparency-report/">Transparency Report</a> details our policy against releasing customer’s individual DNA data to any third party &#8211; including law enforcement &#8211; without receiving the customer’s explicit consent, unless required by law.
However, this concern about law enforcement upload of crime scene DNA data is a real one that we warn customers about should they choose to upload their DNA data to other third party platforms, including public genealogy services or other third party services that facilitate DNA data upload.
But there’s another form of vulnerability that’s less well-understood: Within databases that allow for raw DNA data uploads with access to relative matching features, people with malicious intent can upload real or fake “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_horse_(computing)">Trojan Horse</a>” genetic profiles for access to your personal identifying information. They could even infer your specific DNA variants—such as information about any disease risk variants you might carry. This is one reason why we don&#8217;t support uploading DNA to 23andMe.
<h2>How can that happen?</h2>
<ul>
<li>Many relative-matching services allow you to see the exact section or sections of DNA you share with each relative.*</li>
<li>If uploading DNA data is allowed, it means you no longer know for sure that your relative’s profile is actually controlled by your relative, and a malicious actor could upload real or fake DNA data to deduce information about you based on sections of matching DNA, including any disease risk variants you might have.</li>
<li>Even if shared segments aren’t shown, there are still ways that people with malicious intent can deduce some of your DNA variants.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-27863 alignright" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/How-Uploading-Creates-Risk-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/How-Uploading-Creates-Risk-300x202.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/How-Uploading-Creates-Risk.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
This vulnerability was recently described in two reports: one at the University of Washington and another at the University of California, Davis. The authors of these reports explain several ways an “adversary” can deduce people&#8217;s genotypes “either at key positions or at many sites genome-wide” in databases that allow DNA data uploads with relative matching. This highlights the risks associated with uploading DNA to 23andMe or similar services.
Both reports outline specific ways for services to mitigate risk, such as limiting the information displayed in relative-matching features.
While these practices may reduce risk, we believe the simplest and most effective defense is to not allow individuals genotyped through other testing services to upload their DNA data to 23andMe for the purpose of discovering genetic relatives.
In the past, 23andMe has allowed DNA uploads from other consumer genetic testing services in very specific circumstances. Specifically, on DNA Day in April 2018, 23andMe allowed individuals who tested at other companies to upload their results to access a subset of our trait reports, but 23andMe has not enabled the discovery of new relatives for these accounts.
<h2>How does 23andMe ensure that only real, consenting individuals participate in our service? </h2>
In a word, spit.
When you spit into the tube, you’re embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. You’re also trusting 23andMe with some of your most personal information.
Requiring a saliva sample is how 23andMe is able to verify that you’re a real person who chose to participate in the service. While it might be easy to upload fake DNA data, it’s another matter entirely to fake a spit sample, which requires filling a tube with more than two milliliters of spit. It’s how you know that “Linda-your-4th-cousin-who-you-didn’t-know-existed” is a real person who chose to do 23andMe. Linda had to spit in a tube, too.
<h2>What are some key questions you should ask?</h2>
When considering whether or not to upload your raw DNA data to another website, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with their privacy and security policies before you upload your raw DNA data.
Make sure to consider the following questions:
<ol>
<li>Before you upload your DNA data, ask yourself: do I really need to do this? Am I willing to risk the security and privacy of my DNA data by uploading it to a third-party service?</li>
<li>Do your research! Does the third-party service have a track record of strong privacy and data security?</li>
<li>How will the third-party service use your information?  How can your information be further shared with other third parties?</li>
<li>If you are not interested in discovering new relatives but you want additional DNA insights, does the other service explicitly exclude features relating to discovering genetic relatives?</li>
</ol>
An earlier article detailing our stance on protecting customers’ data is available <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/our-stance-on-protecting-customers-data/">here</a>. 
<h2>Learn More</h2>
Find out if your <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/genetic-health/">genetics</a> might Increase your risk for any health conditions with 23andMe.
You can also Learn more about common risks associated with uploading raw DNA online and how to protect your DNA information.
*By default, 23andMe does not display your ancestry information or DNA segment information to relatives or connections until you decide to share it with them.

Can You Upload DNA Data to 23andMe? 

Svante Paabo and his team in Leipzig are up to it again, <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Svante-Paabo-and-Nikolay-Peristov-200x200.jpg" alt="Svante PÃ¤Ã¤bo and Nikolay Peristov discuss the Ust'-Ishim discovery" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-21817" width="200" height="200" />and revealing more detail about interbreeding between modern humans and our early human cousins, the Neanderthals.
No stranger to extracting ancient DNA, Paabo, the director of evolutionary genetics at the <a href="http://www.mpg.de/eva-en?section=eb-evb-g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> in Leipzig, Germany, was the first to decode the Neanderthal genome.

<h6>Neanderthals and Modern Humans</h6>
That was when researchers first learned that Neanderthal and humans mated, and that all human with Asian or European ancestry, who are living today carry remnants of that Neanderthal DNA.
Beyond the marvel of actually extracting DNA from the femur of the ancient human known as the “Ust’-Ishim man,” and sequencing that DNA to the same accuracy as that achieved from sequences for living people, is what this sequence is telling scientists about human evolution and migration.
“The population to which the individual belonged may have split from the ancestors of present-day West Eurasian and East Eurasian populations before, or at about the same time, when these two first split from each other,” Paabo in an <a href="http://www.mpg.de/8710423/genome-earliest-modern-human?filter_order=L&#038;research_topic=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announcement</a> regarding the paper. 
<h6>Interbreeding</h6>
Although some of the <a href="https://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/22/358047524/a-45-000-year-old-leg-bone-reveals-the-oldest-human-genome-yet" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">coverage</a> this week, has focused on the fact that humans and Neanderthals were interbreeding, that really is old news. What’s more significant is what that DNA is telling us about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/science/research-humans-interbred-with-neanderthals.html?ref=science&#038;_r=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">when the interbreeding occurred</a> and hinted at when and where humans first migrated out of Africa and then into Asia and Europe.
The sequence indicated that this early human also had about the same percentage of Neanderthal DNA as we do today, but that the segments of that DNA were much longer. Because of how DNA recombines with each generation, this is what researchers thought they would see. It also helped them more precisely pinpoint when interbreeding between humans and Neanderthals occurred to sometime between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago.
<h6>Migration Timeline</h6>
Previous estimates ranged much wider saying that it occurred between 30,000 and 80,000 years ago. Pinpointing the time is significant because that period also corresponds with when humans were first migrating out of Africa and through the Middle East, according to Janet Kelso, who did the computer based analyses of the sequence. Humans likely migrated out of Africa about 100,000 years ago, and perhaps came into contact with Neanderthals in the Middle East, mixing with them there before migrating into Europe and Asia.
There is much more value in this ancient genome for researchers as they compare it to the genomes of modern humans. For instance, it allowed researchers to estimate that between one and two mutations per year accumulated in human populations in Europe and Asia since the Ust’-Ishim walked the earth.
Not much is known about this one man, however. There were no artifacts found with him. But looking at his DNA, researcher learned that he has more in common with modern Asians than with modern day Europeans. In their paper the researchers suggested that this lends weight to a theory that there were waves of migration into Europe, but that modern humans descend from a population who “did not participate in the initial dispersal of modern humans into Europe and Asia.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-14049" title="neanderthal icon" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/neanderthal-icon-96x150.jpg" width="50" height="77" />
Got Neanderthal DNA?
23andMe customers can <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/labs/neanderthal/">find their inner Neanderthal</a> or at least how much Neanderthal DNA they have. Not yet a customer? <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store">Visit our store</a>!

Dem Bones

Here at 23andMe we have an interest in all things Neanderthal, so when none other than Svante Paabo authored the book Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes we had to check it out.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-20650" alt="Svante book cover" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Svante-book-cover-197x300.jpg" width="197" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Svante-book-cover-197x300.jpg 197w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Svante-book-cover.jpg 365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px" />


Professor Paabo, the director of evolutionary genetics at the<a href="http://www.mpg.de/eva-en?section=eb-evb-g"> Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> in Leipzig, Germany, was the first to decode the Neanderthal genome.
This book is the story of that Herculean effort.
Extracting ancient DNA isn’t as easy as they make it sound in Jurassic Park. Much of the book details the painstaking trial and error it took to figure out how to do so. Simply extracting the requisite amount of DNA from bones tens of thousands of years old often requires more than one bone sample. Finding samples of bones can take delicate negotiations with old guard museum curators or political hacks. And then there are the perennial problems of contamination, making getting an accurate sequence very difficult. Paabo’s feat was anything but easy.
If Paabo weren’t such a good storyteller, the book might have bogged down with descriptions of things like the different techniques of polymerase chain reaction, and all it takes to build a clean lab. But he’s a clever enough writer to to keep the reader’s attention with a fast-paced story and wonderful details.
<div id="attachment_20651" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-20651" class="size-medium wp-image-20651" alt="Max Planck Forscher Prof. Dr.Svante PÃ¤Ã¤bo entschlÃ¼sselt Neandertaler-Genom" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Image12-300x209.jpg" width="300" height="209" />Svante Paabo with a reconstructed Neandertal skull. (Copyright: Frank Vinken)</div>
One of the many great details is an odd scene played out at the Natural History Museum in London. While there looking for possible sources of ancient DNA, Paabo was utterly astonished to watch a curator lick an old bone to determine whether it had been coated in some kind of preservative or not. Paabo, who’d been in the midst of his struggle to overcome contamination in ancient samples, stared in disbelief and wondered how many other bones in the collection had been “checked” in this way.


For us here at 23andMe, we paid particular attention to another short scene Paabo describes at Cold Spring Harbor, involving one of our scientists.
It happened just days after Paabo’s groundbreaking announcement of the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in 2010.
After he gave his talk, he described listening with complete delight to Cory McLean, then a doctorate student at Stanford and now a senior computational biologist at 23andMe, report on his work comparing human and ape genomes, looking specifically for regions where humans differed from other apes. Although the Neanderthal sequence had been published just days before, Cory had also included the Neanderthal genome in his analysis. Knowing the Neanderthal genome sequence in those regions helped to identify genome differences unique to modern humans versus those we share with Neanderthals.
<div id="attachment_20654" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-20654" class="size-medium wp-image-20654" alt="(Copyright: Johannes Krause, Neandertal group by Atelier Daynes, Paris, France. In: Museum of the Krapina Neanderthals, Krapina, Croatia. Project and realization of the Museum: Zeljko Kovacic and Jakov Radovcic.)" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Image21-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199" />Copyright: Johannes Krause, Neandertal group by Atelier Daynes, Paris, France. In: Museum of the Krapina Neanderthals, Krapina, Croatia. Project and realization of the Museum: Zeljko Kovacic and Jakov Radovcic.</div>
“I was so emotional about what (Cory) had done that I had to stop myself from hugging him,” Paabo said. “As far as I know he was the first person who had put our genome to use in his research.”


The publication of the Neanderthal sequence is, as University of Wisconsin-Madison paleontologist John Hawks said, “an immense gift to humanity.”
This is because it allows us to see the story of the evolution of modern humans.


“The Neanderthal genome gives us a picture of ourselves, from the outside looking in,” Hawks said. “We can see, and now learn about the essential genetic changes that make us human – the things that made our emergence as a global species possible.”

A Gift To Humanity

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-full wp-image-6209" title="6Denisova_cave" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/6Denisova_cave.jpg" alt="" width="346" height="517" />Denisova cave from the outside. / Bence Viola. 
DNA isolated from a tiny bone fragment from the finger of a being that walked the earth between 30,000 and 50,000 years ago has possibly added a new branch to the human family tree.
<h6>denisovan</h6>
The piece of bone was found in the Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains, Russia.   Thanks to the preserving effects of the area&#8217;s relatively chilly temperatures, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology were able to recover mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) suitable for sequencing.
Their results, published online today in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature08976" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature</a>, show that compared to present-day humans, mtDNA from the so-called &#8220;Denisova <a href="http://archaeology.about.com/od/hterms/g/hominin.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hominin</a>&#8221; contains twice as many differences as do mtDNAs from Neanderthals.
<h6>Another Human Cousin</h6>
From this the researchers conclude that the Denisova hominin was a member of a previously unknown species of human ancestor.   Further analysis allowed them to estimate that the most recent common maternal ancestor shared by all three species lived about one million years ago.
&#8220;Their discovery is remarkable not just for the insight it gives into the human past.   For the first time a hominin has been described, not from the morphology of its fossilized bones, but from the sequence of its DNA,&#8221; wrote Terence A. Brow, in a News &amp; Views article that accompanied the Nature study.
There is evidence that both Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans were in the area of the Denisova cave at around the same time as the individual whose mtDNA was sequenced in the current study. This suggests that each wave of hominins that moved out of Africa and into Eurasia did not replace the last.   Instead, multiple lineages coexisted for long periods of time.
More work will be needed to definitively determine the relationship of the Denisova hominin to Neanderthals and modern humans.   Ongoing research is attempting to isolate nuclear DNA for further comparisons and to look for evidence of interbreeding.
<h6>Update 3/29/10</h6>
There&#8217;s quite a bit of discussion about whether or not the Denisova hominin really is a distinct species. A good place to learn more about the debate is Carl Zimmer&#8217;s blog The Loom.   <a href="http://theatavism.blogspot.com/2010/03/does-forty-thousand-year-old-finger.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Atavism</a> also has a post about this topic.
<ul>
<li>Read more about this story at ScienceNews.</li>
<li>More from the Blog on ancient DNA:
<ul>
<li><a href="../2010/02/10/researchers-use-snp-analysis-to-paint-picture-of-an-ancient-human/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener">Researchers Use SNP Analysis to Paint Picture of an Ancient Human</a></li>
<li><a href="../2009/02/12/researchers-announce-draft-version-of-complete-neanderthal-genome/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener">Researchers Announce Draft Version of Complete Neanderthal Genome</a></li>
<li><a href="../2009/07/22/novel-techniques-suggest-neanderthal-populations-dwindled-in-the-face-of-expanding-humans/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener">Novel Techniques Suggest Neanderthal Populations Dwindled in the Face of Expanding Humans</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology