<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? 

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



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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

23andMe’s new Chief Corporate Development Officer, Reza Afkhami took some time before starting in his new job to chat about his career, joining 23andMe, and his new role cultivating partnerships and collaborations for our therapeutics, research services and consumer divisions.



Reza comes to the job with more than two decades of experience in biotech corporate development. His last role was as the Senior Vice President for Corporate Development and Strategy at Global Blood Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative therapies for treating sickle cell disease. That company was purchased last year by Pfizer.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31778" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-1180x1180.jpg 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1-980x980.jpg 980w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_2999-1.jpg 1675w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo credit: Jim Block</figcaption></figure>



Before that, Reza was the Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Surrozen. Surrozen is a biotechnology company focused on developing tissue-specific antibodies to create therapies for disease of the intestine, liver, retina, cornea, lung, kidney, cochlea, skin, pancreas, and central nervous system. His long and distinguished career also includes positions overseeing global commercial strategy and planning, other roles leading teams handling business development and market intelligence, as well as managing and supporting partnerships. His work has helped the companies he’s worked for grow from early-stage drug discovery through to fully integrated biotech companies.



Here at 23andMe he’ll lead our business development team, across our therapeutics, research services and consumer groups. Reza will be responsible for spearheading and driving a wide range of industry collaborations for 23andMe.



Here’s a little bit from our discussion with Reza. His responses have been edited for length.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-you-studied-international-economics-at-georgetown-and-received-an-mba-from-uc-berkeley-what-drew-you-to-a-career-in-biotech">1) You studied international economics at Georgetown and received an MBA from UC Berkeley. What drew you to a career in biotech?&nbsp;</h6>



While growing up in France at the end of the Cold War, I was exposed to multiple languages and cultures. Pursuing a career in foreign service would be a natural fit. However, getting exposed to government work and the less appealing aspects of politics at Georgetown changed that. I switched coursework to focus more on economics and finance and pursued internships with businesses rather than institutions.&nbsp;



I started my career in the early 1990s as the internet boom began. I eventually worked with a company that was taken over by a telecom company tied to that tech boom. It wasn’t a great experience, and I left to start an MBA program at UC Berkeley. Soon after I started that program, the company became embroiled in a scandal. Then 9/11 happened, and we had the dot-com bust and recession. I mention that because it changed what I wanted to do and how I looked at internet technology companies. Right then, I stumbled upon biotech, which felt like a breath of fresh air. These were brilliant people doing interesting things, all focused on developing drugs to help cure disease. My first job out of business school was with CV Therapeutics.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">2) What will you be focused on at 23andMe?</h6>



I’ve spent two decades in biotech. The synergy between the consumer business, the research services, and the therapeutics groups attracted me to this position. They each offer the potential to develop different kinds of partnerships, and that’s appealing to me.&nbsp;



There is this potential of augmenting what 23andMe is already doing through collaborations and partnerships, whether on the consumer side by helping consumers get access to the kind of genetic information they can use to better their lives, or on the research side with all these incredible insights, or on the therapeutics side and leveraging all this data to develop new therapies.&nbsp;



The challenge is prioritizing what opportunities will be best for the company and our mission.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">3) Does your new role differ from your past roles and responsibilities, if so how?</h6>



I have experience in B2B transactions, and the key to success is finding ways for both parties to win. When it comes to 23andMe’s consumer products, our research, and our therapeutics development there are different kinds of considerations for collaborations and partnership.&nbsp;



It will be fascinating and challenging. There’s a lot of potential and I think we will make a real difference in people’s lives.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">4) What are you most excited about regarding 23andMe and what our Therapeutics team is doing?</h6>



23andMe&#8217;s unique advantage is our incredible database and our ability to use genetics to identify drug development targets. That&#8217;s very exciting.&nbsp;



Drug development takes a very long time, is expensive, and has a low success rate. The result is a lot of wasted time and money. However, if we start with a target that is validated using genetics, in that case, we have a much better chance for success. Using validation first gives us a better starting point for drug development. Improving the drug development process by even a few percentage points could save billions of dollars and, more importantly, improve the chances of finding new treatments for patients who need them. I&#8217;m excited about that.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">5) You’ve spent a career in biotech and have a good grasp of the industry. Do you think the industry in general realizes that 23andMe is a full biotech company?</h6>



People in the industry don’t know the full extent of what 23andMe is capable of. I think many are even shocked by the size of our therapeutics team and that we’re currently working on so many programs in the preclinical stage. This lack of awareness around our therapeutics work is partly because 23andMe’s consumer brand is so strong that everything else we do is hidden behind that big veil.



There are some challenges there, and even skepticism, but that also presents an opportunity once potential partners and collaborators see what we can actually do.

Meet 23andMe’s New Chief Corporate Development Officer

By Sarah Woods-Killam*



Claire Curtin and Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, two women who played a pivotal role in the success of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims">The Sims game</a>, came to 23andMe as part of our Speaker Series for Women’s History Month.



Claire and Roxy shared with us some of the highlights of their careers, experiences, and challenges of working in the largely male-dominated gaming industry.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Womens-History-scaled-e1681233526670-898x1024.jpeg" alt="A photo of Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, left, and Claire Curtin." class="wp-image-31568" width="449" height="512"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, left, and Claire Curtin.</figcaption></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-the-game-for-working-mothers-nbsp-nbsp-nbsp">Changing the game for working mothers&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h6>



One of the first challenges was finding a balance between raising their children while meeting the demands at work, said Claire. This was especially true for two working moms, in a workplace dominated by men, but it’s what led Claire and Roxy to come up with the idea of job sharing.



“By the time we both had our first children, we went to our HR director at the time, who was a woman, to establish child care without losing our jobs,” said Claire. “We made arrangements to share projects and establish communication to make it seamless, taking turns coming into the office and then together once a week.”&nbsp;



The Sims project continued to be successful and operate smoothly, oftentimes having colleagues mistake them for one another.



For Roxy, the challenges started even before she landed the job. She was pregnant during her interview process, and because there were no laws regarding the discrimination of pregnant people, she worried about telling her interviewer that she was pregnant.



After telling him that she was going to have a child, he said:&nbsp;&nbsp;



“That’s okay, guys get into motorcycle accidents and women get pregnant.”&nbsp;



However, with Claire’s support, Roxy and Claire were able to negotiate maternity benefits and continued working together on The Sims project.&nbsp;



Job sharing during The Sims project, while pregnant and raising children, allowed Roxy and Claire a better work-life balance. But job sharing came with its own challenges, said Roxy. For one, there weren’t many good examples of job sharing to follow at that time. But both women said that working together allowed them to navigate and create a new work environment for working moms.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“My entire career would have been different if Roxy had not been there,” said Claire.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-women-in-tech">Women in Tech</h6>



Roxy and Claire were the only women working on The Sims but they had an outsized impact.&nbsp;



“When we began working with each other there were 40 people in product development and out of those 40, we were the only two women,” Roxy said.&nbsp;



The Sims game was originally built for architecture, but they took it in a different direction when they started working on it. They helped make it gender neutral, which in turn ensured that both boys and girls Sims were welcome.&nbsp;



“The big nut to crack was, ‘How do you get girls to play games?’” Roxy said.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-after-the-sims">Life after the Sims</h6>



After some time working on The Sims, Claire decided it was time for a change.&nbsp;



“I was 49 years old and realized I did not want to make entertainment anymore,” she said. “I asked myself, ‘How many more working years do I have?’”



Claire had other interests, and eventually became a consultant on energy efficiency. She said she was able to do that, in part, with the support of her husband. Her experience also led her to advise women to push for what they want. She tells women that they should speak up if there are any challenges in their career, or when there are individuals with whom you work who are particularly problematic.



Claire said, “The nasty people who are not easy to work with, those that try to wreck your career &#8211;&nbsp; you owe it to yourself to tell management since it is not fair to work. You can outlast someone like that.”



After leaving her work on The Sims, Roxy also decided it was time for a career change. Working in software, she was always staring at a screen and working inside. She said she realized that she found joy and therapy in working outside in the garden or with her hands.



“I needed to work on something where I used my hands, something that was organic and in the real world,” Roxy said.&nbsp;



She started her own landscaping business.&nbsp;



“I felt I was making a difference from one beautiful garden to another, helping people connect with nature,” she said.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-words-of-wisdom">Words of Wisdom</h6>



What resonated the most with many of us here at 23andMe was Roxy’s advice toward the end of the talk.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“I think the important thing as a woman is to feel you are valuable,” she said. “The challenges that women have are legitimate (and) everyone needs to be involved in solving (them). There is no reason why women should be penalized for having children. The only way to do that is to not be apologetic about it and stand in your strength.”



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



Sarah Woods-Killam an Operations Specialist on 23andMe&#8217;s Customer Care, but she&#8217;s also an instrumental member of several of our Employee Resources Groups including &#8220;23andShe,&#8221; the group that supports women employees.

Two Women Tech Pioneers Look Back

Being Black in Tech



By Elo Ratliff,* MPH



To honor Black History Month, we decided not to look backward this year but instead to look inward at 23andMe, asking Black professionals here for their perspective on working in biotechnology where representation is still sorely lacking.



Being Black in tech you often find yourself being the only, or one of a very few, Black people in the room. Getting comfortable with that is important, and for the Black and African American community, history has shown us it’s that resiliency which is the antidote to remedy this lack of representation.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">Community</h2>



That resiliency can help change the narrative in spaces where we do not typically see ourselves. In talking to my fellow members of the Black@23andMe Employee Resource Group (ERG), an affinity group aimed at supporting 23andMe employees who identify as Black, it takes more than just resiliency; it also takes community and support to sustain meaningful change.&nbsp;



For young Black professionals exploring their career paths, there are very limited outlets to expose them to job opportunities in technology, and many think that even if they do have some type of scientific or engineering background, they cannot work in tech. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pathfinding</h2>



For 23andMe Research Associate Shaeloren Deering, who came to 23andMe after attending Spelman College and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, simply finding the path to a career in tech is harder for those in the Black community.&nbsp;



“I wish there were more avenues to expose future Black professionals to the various career opportunities in tech,” said Shaeloren, who supports recruitment efforts for 23andMe’s Therapeutics team.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Support</h2>



But the challenges for Black tech workers don’t stop after you finally land a job. From building a network of support, to feeling overwhelmed by constantly being the minority, to lack of representation in leadership roles, it is challenging. 



There is immense pressure to always show up when you are one of the only minorities in the room, and pressure to suppress your authentic self to feel more accepted and validated in your thoughts.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="360" height="260" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-31187" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo.png 360w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo-300x217.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" /></figure>



There are many efforts to support underrepresented groups at 23andMe, and our ERGs are a part of that. 23andMe has also embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which is the idea that the workplace needs to ensure that no matter what community an individual belongs to, they always feel they are being treated fairly and are not being discriminated against due to any parts of their identity. Most often, a DEI strategy helps disadvantaged groups feel a sense of belonging in the workplace.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Being Your Authentic Self</h2>



23andMe has done a lot of work with DEI, but despite these efforts, for many of us in the Black community it’s hard to shake the lifelong experience of “being different.” 



That, in turn, has altered our perceptions of how to be our “authentic selves” in the workplace. Lameisha Dubose, a Senior Sarbanes-Oxley Act Compliance Analyst, said it’s important to have a community and support in the workplace where you feel comfortable to be your “true self.” She calls this:



“Standing in my truth and finding my tribe.”



Lameisha echoed the sentiments of many others who are part of Black@23andMe. Each indicated in their own way how much they rely on their own “tribe.” That might mean simply finding support through an employee resource group; it can also mean leaning on allies, or trusted friends at work with whom they feel safe, valued, and a sense of belonging.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Purpose</h2>



What helps sustain us all is our “WHY.” Why are we here? We understand that while being a minority in these spaces can be challenging, we are also paving the way for future generations of young Black professionals to come into this space and hopefully be free, or limited in the disparities we are experiencing. But we are also professionals motivated by the innovative world of technology and the possibilities it brings.



Liz Babalola, a Senior Program Manager with 23andMe’s Research team and expert in public health and quantitative research, draws her motivation from the power of technology to transform.



“I am excited about AI driven analytics and machine learning,” said Liz.



Liz’s excitement to leverage new technology to drive change, particularly to help people live healthier lives, motivates all of us.



“For healthcare, I am excited to see all the new developments that can help those who may have been helpless before,” said April Ward, a Pharmacy Office Administrator.



At our core, we all love working in biotechnology because of what is possible &#8211; whether it’s finding new insights into disease, treating those conditions, or delivering important health information people can use to lead healthier lives.&nbsp;



The work we do is fun, especially when we get to do these things at a company that continuously strives to build a culture where every employee feels like they are just as important as the person next to them. Luckily for us, 23andMe is that company and has worked hard over the years to ensure DEI is a top priority. We are still learning (every company is), but the openness to learn and the support from the top down to make sure we are working towards “getting it right” is the most important step to yield change, and we are doing that.



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



*Elo Ratliff, MPH, is a Senior Project Manager for Genomic Health at 23andMe and Co-Lead of the Black@23andMe ERG.

A photo of five of the young women who participated in 23andMe's Being Black in Tech discussion

Being Black in Tech

Every year on the third Saturday in October, the world celebrates International Archaeology Day, recognizing the important contributions archaeological research makes to society. This year, to celebrate, we&#8217;re spotlighting one of our favorite archaeological mysteries in the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM feature—the skeletons of Roopkund Lake.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-about-roopkund-lake">About Roopkund Lake</h2>



Roopkund Lake is a small glacial lake located over 5,000 meters (over 16,000 ft) above sea level in the Nanda Devi National Park, in the Indian Himalayas. In 1942, a forest ranger patrolling the park stumbled upon a chilling scene: hundreds of skeletal remains strewn around the lake. The site has captivated researchers and locals alike ever since.



The mystery of who these individuals were, how they died, and why they were in such a remote and inhospitable location has sparked decades of speculation. Some early researchers proposed that the remains belonged to an army that had lost its way in the mountains, while others suggested they might have been traders following a trans-Himalayan route that had since vanished. A few archaeologists posited that they were pilgrims traveling to nearby shrines, possibly part of the ancient Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a religious procession spanning ~290 kilometers (~180 miles) that is still undertaken in the region every 12 years.



The identification of women and children among the dead, however, made some of the proposed explanations less plausible–especially the claim that they may have been members of an army. Without weapons, trade goods, or written records, no single theory could fully account for the diversity and composition of the group. Local folklore offered its own interpretation: a king, his family, and attendants on a pilgrimage to honor the mountain goddess Nanda Devi had violated sacred protocol and were struck down by a deadly hailstorm in divine retribution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-exciting-23andme-connection">An exciting 23andMe connection</h2>



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31431628/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2019</a>, scientists sequenced the genomes of 38 individuals from Roopkund Lake in an effort to better understand the origins of the mysterious remains. But instead of resolving this longstanding mystery, their findings uncovered an even more complex puzzle. 



So what makes this story one of 23andMe’s favorite archaeological mysteries? That 2019 research study was actually led by our very own Dr. Éadaoin Harney—a Scientist on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team and 23andMe’s “resident ancient DNA expert.” She worked on this study during her PhD at Harvard University where she was a member of Prof. David Reich’s ancient DNA laboratories–one of the largest ancient DNA research laboratories in the world.



“When I first started working with the Roopkund ancient DNA data, I thought that genetics would be a simple and straightforward way to finally help solve the mystery of who they were,” said Dr. Harney. But she was in for a big surprise! “The first hint that this wasn’t going to be as simple as I initially thought was when we discovered how ancestrally diverse the Roopkund individuals were. Then we learned that they didn’t all die at the same time, as had previously been believed. Instead radiocarbon dates generated from the bones spanned over 1,000 years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dna-adds-to-the-mystery">How DNA adds to the mystery</h2>



The 2019 genetic analysis showed that the individuals fell into three distinct genetic groups, with ancestries from across the globe.



The largest group (which we’ll refer to as Roopkund A) consisted of 23 individuals who died between the 7th and 10th centuries CE, likely during multiple distinct events. Genetically, all appeared South Asian, but with remarkably diverse ancestries–each individual appeared most closely related to different present-day South Asian populations. This finding suggests that they may have traveled to the lake from multiple locations across the subcontinent. Although the exact purpose of their journey to Roopkund Lake remains uncertain, some researchers speculate that they may have been early participants in the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a traditional pilgrimage that still passes by the lake every 12 years.



The other two groups were even more surprising. One group (Roopkund B) consisted of 14 individuals whose DNA connected them to present-day populations from the eastern Mediterranean—particularly populations in Greece and neighboring regions. The third group (Roopkund C) was represented by a single individual with genetic ancestry most similar to Southeast Asian populations. Radiocarbon dating revealed that these individuals likely died in a single event some time between the 17th and 20th centuries. Why people with ancestry from such distant regions were traveling together in one of the most remote parts of the Himalayas remains a mystery to this day.



Dr. Harney joined 23andMe in 2020 with the goal of creating an approach to identify direct genetic connections between historical and living people. She and her colleagues on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team succeeded! This technology was first described in their <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10958645/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 study of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace</a>, which was published in (and featured on the cover of) Science. She then helped spearhead the creation of the 23andMe Historical Matches feature, enabling customers to learn how they connect to different historical and ancient individuals.



Over the last five years, one of her secret ambitions was to use this technology to try and finally solve the mystery of the Roopkund individuals&#8217; identities. Could identifying any close genetic relatives of the Roopkund individuals in the 23andMe genetic database help us learn about their identities and answer what brought them to Roopkund?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-we-solve-the-mystery">Did we solve the mystery?</h2>



We compared the Roopkund individuals to over 11 million research consenting participants in the 23andMe genetic database. While we were hoping this analysis would reveal a number of close genetic relatives, unfortunately, the mystery of Roopkund Lake lives on.



We found that only about 1,240 research participants—less than 0.011% of the individuals included in our analysis—share any sort of genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. And of those participants, we can count the number of individuals who share over 30 cM of DNA (what we label a “significant genetic connection” in the Historical Matches feature) on just one hand. In fact, we found so few &#8220;significant relatives” that the chances any of those connections trace back to a recent shared common ancestor on a genealogical family tree are extremely slim.



(Although if you happen to be one of those lucky individuals who sees a “significant connection” listed to one of the Roopkund individuals in your 23andMe report, please <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/requests/new" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reach out to us</a>, as we’d love to learn more!)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-did-we-discover">What else did we discover?</h2>



So, we didn’t solve the mystery of who the Roopkund individuals were, but we did gather fascinating data about their connections to the present day.



First, here is a breakdown of the 17 Roopkund individuals whose DNA was well preserved enough to include in our analyses:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>8 from Roopkund A (South Asian ancestry)</li>



<li>8 from Roopkund B (Eastern Mediterranean ancestry)</li>



<li>1 from Roopkund C (Southeast Asian ancestry)</li>
</ul>



As we mentioned, about 1,240 23andMe research participants shared a genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. The figure below shows the number of matches each Roopkund group received and highlights the amount of DNA shared. As you can see, the vast majority of the connections we discovered involve less than 20 cM of DNA, meaning that they likely trace back to a shared common ancestor who lived long before any of the Roopkund individuals.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="411" height="252" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34359" style="width:625px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png 411w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3-300x184.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This figure shows the distribution of total shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund groups (A, B and C). It shows that the vast majority of the connections we identified are to individuals in the Roopkund B group, and the DNA segments they share are shorter than 15 cM. In order to protect participant privacy, all counts less than or equal to 5 are masked and appear equal to 5. </figcaption></figure>



Of those who share a genetic connection, the majority (~1,160) shared a connection to one or more individuals in the Roopkund B group—the one with Eastern Mediterranean-related ancestry. This didn&#8217;t surprise us, since the majority of 23andMe research participants have European ancestry, making them more likely to be related to the Roopkund B individuals.



In addition to occurring more frequently, the Roopkund B individuals also shared some of the strongest genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, as shown in the figure below which depicts the maximum amount of DNA that each Roopkund individual shared with a research participant.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="643" height="448" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34360" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png 643w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4-300x209.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This figure shows the maximum amount of shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund individuals. The individuals are arranged along the x-axis by when they lived, as measured by radiocarbon dating. We masked this result for Roopkund individuals who shared DNA with 5 or fewer 23andMe research participants in order to protect participant privacy, and reported maximum DNA sharing as equal to 0.</figcaption></figure>



We decided to see what Genetic Groups the Roopkund individuals could be connected to, using the same approach that we use to connect customers to these Genetic Groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Many of the Roopkund B individuals received matches to Genetic Groups in south eastern Europe, with the strongest connections to groups in Greece and Crete–exactly mirroring the findings of the original study!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="849" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34352" style="width:575px" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-300x249.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-768x636.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-880x729.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1180x978.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund B individuals to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to one or more of the Roopkund B individuals.</figcaption></figure>



Since the Roopkund A and Roopkund C individuals shared far fewer genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, it was hard to localize their ancestry in the same way. But we were able to connect the Roopkund C individual to a single Genetic Group, located in China. This finding is generally consistent with the original study, where this individual exhibited connections to populations in East and Southeast Asia.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="874" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34353" style="width:592px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-300x256.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-768x655.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-880x751.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1180x1007.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund C individual to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to the Roopkund C individual.</figcaption></figure>



We couldn’t connect the Roopkund A individuals to any of the Genetic Groups that we have identified. That doesn’t mean they aren’t genetically related to any of these groups. Instead it is likely just because the original research team was only able to sequence a small amount of DNA from these individuals, making it harder to connect them to research participants in the 23andMe database.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next">What’s Next?</h2>



So for now, all we can say is that the mystery of Roopkund Lake continues. But we promise this archaeological site is one that is close to our hearts. If we have any updates in the future, we’ll be sure to let you know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



Want to see if you share a genetic connection with any of the individuals who died at Roopkund Lake—or hundreds of other historical people? The Historical Matches feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.



And if you are interested in finding ways to celebrate International Archaeology Day, check out organizations like the Archaeological Institute of America, which has an exciting <a href="https://www.archaeological.org/events/category/international-archaeology-day/list/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calendar of Archaeology-related events</a>.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Mysterious Skeletons of Roopkund Lake

This update is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip. 



The 23andMe Ancestry Team has been working hard on <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-major-update-to-ancestry-composition-is-coming-soon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a major update to the Ancestry Composition report</a>, and results are now available! Our goal is to provide the most accurate and meaningful genetic ancestry results in the industry. We ground our models in rigorous science, guided by established population genetics research, to ensure your results are consistent, reliable, and can help guide your personal journey of discovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-changes-you-ll-see">What changes you&#8217;ll see</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>New granularity in your ancestry percentages: 33 new populations in Europe and 6 in the Americas to explore. Plus we&#8217;ve updated our algorithm to eliminate “Broadly” and “Unassigned” categories in the default results view.&nbsp;</li>



<li>More accurate results: A new state-of-the-art DNA phasing pipeline reduces errors and gives a more accurate estimate of your percentages, even if your ancestry isn&#8217;t from Europe or the Americas.&nbsp;</li>



<li>New features: A new “Version History” section lets you compare your new results to your previous result, and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members can also access all previous versions of their results at different confidence thresholds.</li>
</ul>



This update powers your Ancestry Composition, Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-focus-for-this-update">Our focus for this update</h2>



For this update we focused on improving the entire Ancestry Composition pipeline integrating the latest research. Throughout the rounds of development we look at two major metrics: precision and recall. Precision lets us know how often we correctly predict that a piece of DNA is from a specific population. Recall tells us how much DNA from a specific population we can correctly identify. Working to maximize both precision and recall is critical to making Ancestry Composition and other ancestry features as accurate as possible.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="366" height="368" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34276" style="width:170px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png 366w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-298x300.png 298w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-271x271.png 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></figure>



The final models in this update had good precision and recall across the new populations, ensuring the accuracy of the ancestry breakdown predictions while also expanding the specificity and granularity of the populations. One example of the improvements gained by this update is the reduced amount of North Asian ancestry predicted for some Indigenous North American customers. You can learn more about the development process and see precision and recall metrics for each population in the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>.



While this update focused on increasing granularity in Europe and the Americas, customers from other parts of the world will still benefit thanks to the improvements to the science and the removal of broadly and unassigned ancestry.



<a href="https://you.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign in</a> and check out your new results.&nbsp;



Not yet a 23andMe member? Learn more about what <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe has to offer</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-questions-you-might-be-wondering-about">Some questions you might be wondering about</h2>



Why are certain populations combined?



To define the 78 Ancestry Composition populations, we analyzed the reference datasets, chose candidate populations that appeared to cluster together, and then evaluated whether we can distinguish those groups in practice. Some populations tend to cluster on their own, but most country-level populations overlap to some degree. In these cases, we experiment with different groupings of country-level populations to find combinations that we can distinguish with high confidence. Check out the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> to learn more.



Does this mean that the people in those groups are the same? No. Each group has its own history, culture, and often different languages. These groupings are a reflection of our current genetic understanding and scientific methods, not a statement about cultural identity.



Does this mean DNA that is assigned to these populations is from all groups? Not necessarily. For example, DNA assigned to the Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian group might mean your ancestors were from one, two, or all three of those country-level populations. Sometimes other information from your DNA, such as your Genetic Groups, might help you identify more specific locations your ancestors may have come from.&nbsp;



Why are some reference panels smaller than before?



A reference panel, or a reference population or reference dataset, is a collection of DNA samples from people with some common connection. We compare your DNA to these reference panels to determine which ancestry most closely corresponds to your DNA. We often use 23andMe research participants who tell us they have four grandparents all born in the same country for reference panels.



However, sometimes when we look at the ancestry prediction for individuals in a reference panel for a specific population a few individuals don&#8217;t end up being predicted to have a reasonably large percentage of their DNA from that population. These individuals are considered outliers. As part of this update we systematically reviewed our reference panels around the world to remove these outliers. But don&#8217;t worry; even though some reference panels might be smaller, we still check that the models perform as well as (or better than) before for people with ancestry from these regions.&nbsp;



Why is there no Indigenous Caribbean population?



To define a new ancestry population we need reference panels made up of individuals who have deep genetic roots from one place. However, many individuals from the Caribbean are highly admixed (“admixture” refers to places where there was mixing of previously separate populations). This makes it incredibly difficult to identify a sufficient number of individuals with primarily indigenous DNA from the Caribbean. The reference panels for the new Indigenous American populations are almost entirely unadmixed, which is why we are able to provide ancestry percentages for these populations.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="502" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png" alt="" class="wp-image-27359" style="width:371px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-300x147.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-768x376.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-880x431.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1180x578.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



So where does Indigenous Caribbean ancestry show up? We tend to see that Indigenous American ancestry in individuals from the Caribbean is spread among several of the new Indigenous American populations (especially North American, Southern Mesoamerican, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, and Northern Andean).



Does this mean Indigenous Caribbean ancestors came from those places? Not necessarily. It simply means that of the options available today, those populations are the closest genetic match.&nbsp;



Why weren&#8217;t other parts of the world updated?



While we would love to be able to make major updates around the world more frequently, each new population requires new reference data and major updates in the prediction models. Throughout the years we have increased the number of populations across the rest of the world; however, we have not updated the populations in Europe since 2012. This update was an important opportunity to provide more detail in Europe and the Americas.



We will continue to work towards providing more specificity and granularity around the world in your ancestry percentages as well as Genetic Groups (keep an eye out over the next few months for new Genetic Groups in Africa), <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM, and other features.



Why did the colors change?



Adding 39 new colors to the color palette was quite the task for the 23andMe Design Team. The team took this opportunity to think about the colors holistically, coming up with a new system that provides a gradient across the world, allowing for nearby populations that are closer together geographically to be represented by more similar colors, while at the same time providing a system that can work for more populations in the future.



Who will get this update?



All customers genotyped on the current (V5) chip and with access to the ancestry service will see this update. A genotyping chip (or array) tests for a fixed set of genetic variants (SNPs) across the genome. Different chip versions (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, etc.) test for different sets of SNPs. More recent chips often include better coverage for certain populations, recently discovered variants, or better genetic markers that help improve ancestry?composition algorithms or detect health?associated variants.



Ancestry Composition is trained on specific genotyping chip versions, and these latest models were only trained on the latest chip version. The models are incompatible with data from older genotyping chips, as older chips don’t include most of the genetic markers used by these new ancestry models. More recent chip versions are also designed with better coverage for diverse populations. If you&#8217;re on an older chip version (or not sure which chip version you have) learn about chip upgrades <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025014494-How-Do-I-Upgrade-My-Genotyping-Chip" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



What happens if my family deleted data and I want to connect with them?



When you connect with a biological parent through Your Connections, we use the additional information we learn from your parents&#8217; DNA to improve the resolution of your Ancestry Composition results. You will also be able to see the proportions of each ancestry that you inherited from each parent in the Parental Inheritance section in your Ancestry Composition report. If a family member has deleted their account they will need to purchase a new kit and create a new account before you can connect with them.

It’s Finally Here: A New Version of Ancestry Composition

Each year from September 15–October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of people from Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish-speaking communities. To mark the occasion, we’re highlighting a remarkable ancient DNA study from Las Gobas, a medieval site in northern Spain that sheds new light on life in early Iberia, which comprises present-day Spain and Portugal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setting-the-scene-iberia-in-the-early-medieval-period">Setting the Scene: Iberia in the Early Medieval Period</h2>



From the 5th to 8th centuries CE, Iberia was ruled by the Visigoths, a Germanic people who established power after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In 711 CE, their kingdom collapsed after the Umayyads—an Islamic dynasty with roots in Arabia and North Africa—invaded and established the Emirate (and later the Caliphate) of Córdoba. This new state controlled much of Iberia, along with the Balearic Islands and parts of North Africa.



In the mountainous north, however, many communities retained their independence and Christian traditions, even as the rest of the Iberian peninsula underwent profound cultural and political change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-at-las-gobas">Life at Las Gobas</h2>



Las Gobas, located in today’s province of Burgos in northern Spain, consists of 13 rock-cut caves and several freestanding structures. Beginning in the 7th century, it served as a mixed-use settlement with homes, a Christian church, and a cemetery. By the late 9th century, the residential area was abandoned, but the site continued to be used as a burial ground and place of worship until the 11th century.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39196943/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2024</a>, researchers analyzed DNA from 33 individuals buried at Las Gobas. They discovered that the community’s ancestry remained surprisingly stable over the centuries, with little evidence of genetic influence from the Islamic expansion that reshaped much of Iberia.



Why was Las Gobas different? Their DNA offered a clue. Many individuals carried stretches of identical DNA inherited from both parents—patterns that often occur in small, insular populations with limited outside contact. This genetic isolation likely helped shield the community from broader population shifts happening elsewhere.



The study also revealed striking details about life at Las Gobas:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Inbreeding: The DNA of several individuals showed evidence that their parents were close relatives; likely first cousins or closer.</li>



<li>Disease: DNA evidence showed infections from multiple pathogens, including what may be one of the earliest documented cases of smallpox in northern Iberia.</li>



<li>Violence: Skeletal remains showed signs of traumatic injuries, likely from swords—evidence of interpersonal conflict or warfare.</li>
</ul>



Taken together, the findings paint a vivid—and sometimes harsh—picture of life more than a thousand years ago in a small, tightly knit community in northern Spain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



Want to see if you share a genetic connection with these newly added individuals from Las Gobas—or hundreds of other historical people? The <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a>SM feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Medieval Iberian Site of Las Gobas

<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/ancestry-composition-version-7-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This update</a> is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip.



23andMe’s flagship Ancestry Composition algorithm was last updated in 2022, when three new reference populations were added in China. Since then, the 23andMe Ancestry Team has focused on improving the specificity of reference populations and updating the methods underlying this state-of-the art algorithm. The result? More specificity and accuracy in the ancestry breakdowns we provide.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="508" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34246" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-300x149.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-768x381.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-880x437.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1180x585.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The project, Version 7 of Ancestry Composition, is the most significant update to the feature ever.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improved-algorithm-expanded-populations-better-results">Improved algorithm, expanded populations, better results</h2>



Over the last few months, we’ve been hard at work finalizing the details on this major update to your favorite report: Ancestry Composition.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="499" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34237" style="width:537px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-300x146.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-768x374.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-880x429.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1180x575.png 1180w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Here’s what we&#8217;ve been working on:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Better breakdowns in Europe and the Americas: Thanks mainly to consented 23andMe research participants we&#8217;ve been able to expand the number of unique populations in our reference datasets. Reference datasets are collections of DNA samples from people with deep roots in a specific part of the world. It&#8217;s what is needed to compare each piece of your DNA to in order to determine where in the world that DNA most likely came from. What this means is we’re launching with nearly four times the resolution in Europe and six new populations in the Americas. We also took the opportunity to refine reference datasets from around the world, making them more specific to each global population.</li>



<li>Enhanced Accuracy: The accuracy of these new ancestry results are greatly improved by using our <a href="https://www.cell.com/hgg-advances/fulltext/S2666-2477(25)00082-X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently published</a>, state-of-the-art DNA phasing method. You could think of phasing as sorting which DNA you inherited from each parent. Reducing errors in phasing means a more accurate estimate of your ancestry percentages and better <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212860507-Chromosome-Painting-23andMe-Ancestry-Results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA Painting</a>.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Elimination of Broadly and Unassigned DNA: We are updating our algorithm to report the most likely assignment for a given stretch of DNA rather than at a fixed confidence threshold. This will have the benefit of eliminating &#8220;Broadly&#8221; and &#8220;Unassigned&#8221; categories in the default results view. You will still be able to view your results at different confidence thresholds in the Version History section.</li>



<li>Better Error Detection: We&#8217;ve upgraded our smoother to better filter out erroneous trace ancestries between two larger blocks of ancestry. See our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> for more information about the current smoother.</li>



<li>Version History: Compare your new results to your old ones in a new &#8220;Version History&#8221; section. <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members will also be able to access previous versions at different confidence settings.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-new-reference-populations-nbsp">What are the new reference populations?&nbsp;</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>33 new ancestry populations in Europe are coming: Albanian &amp; Macedonian; Andalusian, Asturian &amp; Castilian; Aragonese &amp; Catalan; Austrian &amp; Southern German; Basque; Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian; Belgian, Rhinelander &amp; Southern Dutch; Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin &amp; Serbian; Bulgarian, Moldovan &amp; Romanian; Canary Islander; Czech, Hungarian, Slovak &amp; Southern Polish; Danish; Dutch &amp; Northern German; English; Estonian; Finnish; French; Greek; Icelandic; Irish; Kosovar &amp; Northern Albanian; Latvian; Lithuanian; Maltese; Northern Italian; Norwegian; Portuguese &amp; Galician; Russian; Sardinian; Scottish; Slovenian; Southern Italian; Swedish; Swiss, Southwestern German &amp; Western Austrian; Welsh</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="840" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34262" style="width:523px;height:auto" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-300x246.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-768x630.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-880x722.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map.png 1101w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Indigenous American will be broken into 6 new ancestry populations: Arctic North American, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, North American, Northern Andean, Southern Mesoamerican, and Western North American</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="562" height="393" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34236" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png 562w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2-300x210.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-dna-story-now-clearer-across-time-place-and-family">Your DNA story, now clearer across time, place, and family</h2>



These updates, drawn from sharper science and richer data, power everything you use to explore your ancestry, including Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more. This builds on the world’s most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market with over 4,000 regions, helping you experience the life-changing power of DNA by tracing where your ancestors lived and what they passed on to you.



Ancestry Composition, Version 7. More precision. More connection. More you.



This is a massive project for us and a chance to get back to our roots by digging deeper into yours. We’re thrilled you’re as excited as we are.



The 23andMe Ancestry Team

A Major Update to Ancestry Composition

We wear pink ribbons. We walk or run for the cause. We have a month for awareness, and yet many women who have a higher risk variant in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes remain unaware of their heightened genetic risk for breast and ovarian cancer until a doctor diagnoses them with cancer.<a id="a1" href="#f1">[1]</a> 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-250x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-22084" width="250" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-250x300.jpg 250w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-768x923.jpg 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-852x1024.jpg 852w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-732x880.jpg 732w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Anne_Color_-Seated-982x1180.jpg 982w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />
That’s a failure. 
This is not a radical indictment of the American healthcare system; it’s just a fact. We are very good at treating illnesses, but not at preventing them. 

<h6>BRCA</h6>
Under the current system, there are specific guidelines for BRCA screening that limit who has access to BRCA testing. Family history of cancer and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry are the most common criteria for screening guidelines. However we have seen at 23andMe that many people do not know their family medical history or their ancestry. So, many people fall through the cracks in the current screening system leaving them unaware of their risk. <a id="a2" href="#f2">[2]</a>
It doesn’t have to be that way.
<h6>23andMe&#8217;s BRCA1/BRCA2 Report</h6>
Today, 23andMe received the first-ever FDA authorization for a direct-to-consumer genetic test for cancer risk for its BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) report. The report covers three variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes associated with increased risk for breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. These variants are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Worrying about the many current 23andMe customers who have one of or more of these variants has caused me sleepless nights. We believe they have the right to know about this risk, if they choose. And it&#8217;s more than just women — men with one of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants we test for are at higher risk for male breast cancer, and may have a higher risk of certain other cancers as well. Men who find out they have one of the tested BRCA variants can also alert female relatives who might benefit from knowing about their potential genetic risk.
<h6>Opportunities for Prevention</h6>
Importantly, studies have found women falling through gaps in breast cancer screening. In her 2015 recommendation for broader screening, <a href="http://www.ascopost.com/issues/february-10-2015/dr-mary-claire-king-proposes-population-screening-in-all-young-women-for-brca-mutations/">geneticist Mary-Claire King, Ph.D., said</a>, “Every breast cancer patient we identify after she develops cancer clearly represents a missed opportunity for prevention.”
A <a href="http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1415979111">2014 study</a> led by Dr. King found that 50 percent of families that had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations had no history of breast or ovarian cancer that would have triggered clinical attention. Similarly our own data shows that a significant number of 23andMe customers who have one of the selected BRCA mutations for which we test, would likely not meet traditional guidelines for screening because they reported being unaware of their ancestry or a family history of cancer. 
Those customers — carriers of the selected BRCA1/BRCA2 variants who reported no family history of cancer and no Jewish ancestry — would likely never know about their risk because they’d never be offered screening under traditional guidelines. It’s a small but significant number of people, and for those individuals, this information could have a profound impact in their lives.<a id="a3" href="#f3">[3]</a>
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-300x300.png" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26062" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-300x300.png 300w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-768x768.png 768w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-880x880.png 880w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-271x271.png 271w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-372x372.png 372w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-574x574.png 574w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080-980x980.png 980w, https://blog.pub.us-west-2.prd.23andme.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BRCA-Launch_1080x1080.png 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Unexpected Findings</h6>
A few years ago, 23andMe studied how people react to<a href="https://peerj.com/articles/8/"> unexpected BRCA findings</a>.<a id="a4" href="#f4">[4]</a> Researchers found that the results didn’t induce anxiety, which was the concern of many. Instead, they sparked crucial conversations among families. These conversations, in turn, created what researchers call a “cascade effect.” These are benefits that extend beyond the person who tested. They extend to members of that person&#8217;s family. It gives each a warning of a potential risk not just for breast, but also ovarian as well as prostate cancer in men.
This was a small study, but since the paper was published a lot has happened. 23andMe had to suspend offering genetic health risk reports — including the BRCA1/BRCA2 report — to customers as we went through an FDA review of our ability accurately detect these variants. We also had to show to the FDA that we could report genetic health risk information to customers in a way that could be easily understood. We did that.
Let’s be clear. 23andMe’s new report, once it’s available, does not diagnose cancer and cannot rule out your chances of getting cancer. It doesn&#8217;t cover most of the thousands of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants associated with increased cancer risk. There are also variants in other genes associated with hereditary cancer, or non-genetic factors such as environment and lifestyle. The report should not be used on its own to make medical decisions. Results should be confirmed with a healthcare provider in a clinical setting before taking any medical action. 
23andMe’s BRCA1/BRCA2 report is not going to be helpful for everyone, but it’s a step in the right direction. We already know of customers who benefited from this information.
<h6>Taking Action</h6>
I know some of these women. They are among the 23andMe customers who tested more than four years ago when we previously offered this report.
&nbsp;
Women like Hilary Hood, a photographer, and mother of three grown daughters, who was surprised to learn about her breast cancer risk after testing with 23andMe. 
“It didn’t occur to me that I was at risk because I didn’t have a mother or sister or aunt with it,” she said. “I didn’t understand the genetic component.”
&nbsp;
It was a shock for Ann Mellinger too. 
&nbsp;
Ann, a CEO, and mother in New York didn’t have information about her biological father’s family health history. 

&nbsp;
“Most people who test positive for the BRCA1 mutation have a family history of breast and ovarian cancer, but I was aware of no cases in our family,” she said. “Knowledge is power, and in my case, the information I gained could quite possibly have saved my life.”
&nbsp;
Now, more than four years later, with our third FDA authorization we can again offer a BRCA report to customers covering the selected BRCA1/BRCA2 variants. It’s the first time the Agency has authorized a direct-to-consumer genetic test for cancer risk without a prescription. 
&nbsp;
This is a major milestone for 23andMe. But more importantly, a significant step forward for consumers who want direct and affordable access to their health information. Over the last four years, it has kept me up at night knowing that we have customers with one of these risk variants but have been unable to tell them. I can sleep better knowing that soon, if our customers choose to, they can view this information. We know from our own data that this information can be incredibly meaningful for customers and, in some cases, could even save lives. 
<footer class="footnotes">References:</footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<a id="f1" href="#a1">[1]</a><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/searchresults?author=Mary-Claire+King&amp;q=Mary-Claire+King" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">King, M</a> et al. (2014). &#8220;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1902783">Population-Based Screening for BRCA1 and BRCA2</a>&#8221; JAMA. 2014;312(11):1091-1092. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.12483 <a href=" https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1902783"></a></footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<a id="f2" href="#a2">[2]</a>Ibid.</footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<a id="f3" href="#a3">[3]</a>Statistics come from internal data of 23andMe customers. 23andMe’s research team is working on a manuscript focusing on this data.</footer>
<footer class="footnotes">
<a id="f4" href="#a4">[4]</a><a href="https://peerj.com/articles/8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Francke, U</a> et al. (2013). &#8220;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1902783">Dealing with the unexpected: consumer responses to direct-access BRCA mutation testing</a>&#8221; PeerJ 2013. </footer>

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