The Genetic Genealogist

The Forbes Series – Forbes has an excellent series of articles relating to genomic sequencing and genetic genealogy. It is well-timed and full of interesting things to think about. I highly recommend reading them all!

1. Will You Get Cancer?

2. The Telltale Tumor

3. Never Mind You – What About Me?

4. Genes of the Rich and Famous

5. Genealogy Gets Genetic

6. 12 Genes That Could Change Your Life

 

“Genome of DNA Pioneer is Deciphered” - This is a write-up by Nicholas Wade in the New York Times. Unfortunately, Mr, Wade used the word ‘deciphered’ in the article rather than ‘sequenced’. I’m not convinced that this was his choice, but he’s getting some flack for it. In any event, it appears that Watson’s sequence took 2 DVDs rather than just one!  There’s a write-up at Nature News as well.

Additionally, the article states Dr. Craig Venter completed his own genome at the Venter Institute in Rockville, Md., and deposited in GenBank last week. There’s no way that the timing was coincidental; he obviously published his genome last week in order to beat Watson to the punch.  According to a recent Nature News article (subscription only, here), an analysis of Venter’s genome will be described in a paper in the journal PLoS Biology, and he’s also writing a book, A Life Decoded: My Genome, My Life about his personal genome.  The good news is that PLoS Biology is a free access journal, so the vast majority of the population who aren’t in academia can actually read and enjoy this article when it comes out!  (In case you can’t tell, I’m a huge proponent of free and open publishing of data, especially that data funded with my tax dollars!!!).