Genealogy Industry Predictions – Genetic Genealogy

Growth of Genetic Genealogy

Thomas MacEntee at Geneabloggers has asked readers to comment on genealogy industry predictions for 2011. He links to a previous post with several predictions.

My prediction for 2011 is an increased growth in genetic genealogy. Here are my thoughts – do you agree?

More and more genealogists will use DNA not only to break down brick walls but to verify the paper trail.

Interest in one’s personal genome will continue to be a hot topic. People ordering tests for medical reasons at companies such as 23andme.com will become interested in their family history when their non medical genetic profiles match those of genealogists using DNA to make cousin connections.

Family Tree DNA will see an increased growth in the number of participants signing up for their new Family Finder Autosomal DNA testing. Y-DNA surname studies will continue to remain popular and will become even more useful for genealogists as the number of participants increase. More and more people will order mtDNA testing in order to learn the secrets of their deep ancestry. FTDNA will continue to lead the industry as the company most chosen by genealogists for DNA testing.

The cost of DNA testing for genetic genealogy purposes will continue to decrease as new technologies come on board and the economies of increased scale come into play. Case in point – 23andme.com‘s introduction of a new chip/microarray that can test up to one million SNPs, thus doubling their previous capacity. Launch level pricing at $99 (now $199) makes it more affordable for those testing for both medical and genealogy reasons.

The genetic genealogy world will develop more functional analysis and reporting tools for autosomal DNA.

And my final prediction - the scientists on the Genealogy-DNA Rootsweb forum will continue their heated and valuable discussions thus advancing the field of genetic genealogy for the benefit of us all.

What are your predictions for 2011? Please comment below.

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A Genetic Curse?

Hemochromatosis – do you have it?

Do you feel tired all the time? Have you experienced any of the following symptoms: joint pain, bronzing or greying of the skin, loss of libido, thyroid problems, elevated glucose and triglyceride levels, enlarged liver and cirrhosis or irregular heartbeat?

If you do, you may have a genetic illness that causes excessive iron storage. This disease is Hemochromatosis.

Hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic diseases affecting persons of northern European extraction. In fact so common in certain areas, it is called the Celtic Curse.

One in 9 of the general population carry one hemochromatosis gene.

One in 6 from Celtic ancestry carry one hemochromatosis gene.

Hemochromatosis is Canada’s most common genetic disease, with 1 in 300 having both mutated genes that cause the disorder. In those with Irish roots, the ratio jumps to one in 83, thus the name “The Celtic Curse”.

Diagnoses is done with a simple blood test, unlike 10 years ago when a liver biopsy was required.

Fortunately Hemochromatosis can be treated under a doctor’s care with regular removal of blood (a procedure called phlebotomy) to remove the excess iron. As the body makes new blood cells to replace those lost during the phlebotomy, iron is pulled out from storage in the organs, tissues and joints, bringing the iron levels down to safe levels.

Please talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms and tell others about this disease. Undiagnosed and untreated hemochromatosis can lead to liver disease and cancer, heart failure, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Reference: Canadian Hemochromatosis Society newsletter “Iron Filings”. For more information on hemochromatosis, go to their website www.toomuchiron.ca