The secrets in your genome

JenJen, South Carolina — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:12:04 GMT

I asked my mother's doctor if she would consider doing a DNA test on my mother for finding out what caused her mental retardation - she acted like it was an unreasonable request. I wish doctors would do a DNA test for every patient. It seems to me quite reasonable.

The secrets in your genome

Mary Doe, Sunset Beach, NC — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:19:54 GMT

I participated in the National Geographic genome project. I hope they can add this information to generate even more fascinating data. I don't think I'd want to know whether or not I had genes of a disease for which there is no cure. I would like to know about those which at least had recommended behaviors to reduce the risk. Nonetheless, this study belongs right up there with efforts to stem global warming. They are all quality of life issues, or rather, actually issues of life itself.

The secrets in your genome

Marty, Carson City, NV — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:25:57 GMT

Too much focus is given to specific research, like curing a certain disease. The genome project and the Genome Commons are the kind of general research we need. The benefits may be further off, but they are enormous. The trouble is there isn't much profit in it, so corporations won't do much of it.

The secrets in your genome

Babu Krishnan, Framigham, MA — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:39:09 GMT

Great studies now confirm what our ancestors were telling us for years. My own case could be nothing so remarkable, but could lead to more research into the creation of personalized DNA treatments and genome based actions . My maternal grandmother and my only maternal uncle both suffered from heart ailments, and my uncle died rather suddenly at young age of 45, due some aneurisms of the left ventricles, whereas my grandmother died at 61 also from heart conditions. i had gone thru 5 way bypass at the age of 52 , almost 14 years back. The surgeons who opened and sewed me with new plumbing lines mentioned something about genes causing these aberrations , although nothing further has happened.

It may be the genetic buildup of Asian Americans living in USA being subject to so much stress might have also contributed, along with poorer food habits, type A personalities, other bad habits too!! There could be a link to migration and the effects of finding new roots, under toughened conditions triggering DNA symptoms to erupt into more malaise!! Worth researching more!!

The secrets in your genome

John Charles Webb, Jr. — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:26:01 GMT

All of this DNA research is fantastic (aside from those DNA altered fruit flies with legs growing out of their heads).

I believe that it would be most beneficial to conduct a DNA research project that tests the 1000 most prevalent (widespread use) chemicals and food additives and see how (if) they affect human DNA.
I am certain that the results of such a study would provide us with major keys for 'disease' avoidance.

The secrets in your genome

Mike Kent, havelock , nc — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:32:12 GMT

How many doctors have or can use this type of imformation?

The secrets in your genome

John R., Princeton, New Jersey — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:47:28 GMT

JenJen - DNA tests can only test whether a patient has an already well-understood, specific disease. They are targeted to one very specific part of your DNA to see if it is abnormal. If your doctor can't identify a specific genetic disorder to test for, then, unfortunately, this isn't an approach you can use.

Hopefully, soon in the future we will have the technology to cheaply sequence an individual's entire genome (we're getting there very quickly) and also the knowledge to understand what's in it -- most diseases, after all, are poorly understood at the genetic level, so even if you had your mother's entire DNA sequence it would most likely not give clear answers. We're getting there, though.

The secrets in your genome

Josie, santa clara, CA — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:07:12 GMT

hi all will be well but insurance agencies are already declining customers with certain illnesses.
sorry, but for the purpose of knowing ancestry is ok.
Publicly displayed info too risky to anyone.

The secrets in your genome

colette anne naegle — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:30:16 GMT

My parents are Europeans and my father was Corsican; i was told that some of his ancestors came from Kabily in the north African Atlas mountains; a lot of Kabiles are blond and red heads as well as dark
i would like to have a test on our DNA where does one go for that? I had to live in Europe temporarily but we are all Americans; could you help me please? there is a lot of high blood presure in my family and diabetes
My name is Colette Anne Naegle address 55 blv Victor Hugo Nice France 06000
PHONE 011 33 4 93 88 0209

The secrets in your genome

Butch, Winston-Salem, NC — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:00:21 GMT

This DNA project must be of interest to the insurance companies. The ability to assess the financial risks of insuring someone's health or life is of great commercial value. How long will it be before the insurance companies are discriminating (screening out applicants or charging higher premiums) based simply on DNA variations seen as "risk factors"? It seems to me this work has the potential to change the entire healtha dnlife insurance landscape.

The secrets in your genome

Smitty, Bloomfield, IA — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:17:01 GMT

I also took part in the Genographic Project by National Geographic. The results amazed me and left me hungry for more information. More than anything else, it reinforced my feelings that we truly are one people. I gained a connection to my past and it changed the way I see mankind's future.

The secrets in your genome

Raymond Sweisford, El Paso, Texas — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:18:50 GMT

Recent, and ongoing, research into epigenomes, will likely show that the genome is more static than many people realize. The epigenome, or the influence on the gene from effects on the surrounding tissue, by methyl molecules, shows much more dynamic influence of ancestral behavior, and external events, on the multi-generational health of offspring times 3 or more generations. Effects of drought, abuse, and other stressors, are experienced at the genetic level when a female is still "in utero" and when a male's testes become capable of producing sperm. Those are times when the changes to the gene, by the epigenome, become manifest, and the effects on the offpring of those dynamics (stressors, or the lack), are observable at the behavioral level, after the noted female and male have themselves produced children. By simply removing the methyl molecule from the tissue surrounding a portion of a gene, that gene can be "turned on" and resume its original purpose of keeping, for example, the heart healthy, or of preventing autism. The implications are nothing short of a potential panacea for most, if not all major health-related problems known (and many behavioral difficulties due to "birth defects").
The difficulty in this is the potential for variation. The original study, done, I believe, in Sweden, reflected changes not in the genes, over several documented generations, but in the epigenes, that could be tied to specific external stimuli. The environment today, and your behavior today (smoke, drink, get stressed) will have greater detriment to your grandchildren, or great grandchildren than to you. I saw it on NOVA, through the local PBS affiliate.

The secrets in your genome

TheFallibleFiend, LORTON, VA — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:25:09 GMT

I can foresee a day, perhaps in my lifetime, when genome analysis becomes a regular occurrence - perhaps home analysis kits; as well as facilities for uploading your own DNA information from a portable device, perhaps for paternity testing, inclusion in studies and other collective analyses, or perhaps for unknown personal reasons.

One might one day buy a DNA Analysis Kit (DAK) for, say, the equivalent of a few $K; follow the relatively easy instructions to construct it; and then start compiling data and analysis on all sorts of things.

This would be similar to some of the PC kits that were sold by, say, Heathkit, etc.

The secrets in your genome

Bob Taggart, Pataskala, Ohio — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:32:45 GMT

Sounds like there might be some interesting projects here for the World Community Grid to help solve.

The secrets in your genome

Sharon Nelson, Ga. — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:45:22 GMT

I would love to have someone study my own famlies DNA for future generations to come. My son was DX with High functioning Autism at 2 yrs, later to be changed to Aspergers Syndrome. There is no family history of that problem on mine or my husbands side of the family. I have several relatives with very high I.Q's ,yet those same people also deal with depression, bi-polar, or anxiety problems. Gerd disease also runs in our family even though a doctor will tell you, "its not genetic". Cancer is another big issue for our family. My mother & her oldest sister had breast cancer, yet her other sister had only cyst in her breast. I have no problem with the study of my DNA as long as it helps find a cure for an illness or helps science to figure out a way to prevent an illness or disorder. I do however fear that results left in the wrong hands would hamper my ability to receive good medical insurance and they would use the info for their benefit. The study of DNA can be either positive or negative, it just depends upon what we as humans do with the information we discover.

The secrets in your genome

L. Malley — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:57:32 GMT

I'd love to know more about my DNA and genes, as I'm sure many would. What scares me is that insurance companies may want to use this kind of knowledge in order to be "selective." As for my history: My maternal great grandfather is unknown - a secret that was never revealed. He may have been a Polish Jew (Ashkanez) my great grandmother met on the boat. Though, Catholic, she did come from an area that had a large Jewish population at that time. Also,very little is known about my Mother's biological father. Looking at some of my family members eyes, I suspect that way back there somewheres was an Asian influence. Eastern Poland was one of the areas the Mongols traveled. My great grandmother was from Eastern Poland, right next to the then Russian border. And, I have two grandmothers that had Alzehmiers. There are so many things I'd like to know if my DNA could tell me - - - or do I?

The secrets in your genome

slyslew — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:42:25 GMT

It all seems to be geared toward living longer. Society seems to have some phobia toward death. I had a near death experience; my femoral artery was nicked and I bled so much that I went into a coma. I awoke three days earlier with new knowledge. While in a coma I was told that no matter who dies first, me or my daughter, that we would both still be taken care of. This left me with no fear of what lies ahead of us. Death is nothing to be feared, life is actually more profound and more stressful to deal with.

The secrets in your genome

Andrew J, Bucharest ,Romania — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:31:48 GMT

Its important that the mapping of the human genome for an individual be done in a short amount of time, with a minimum monetary cost for that person, at your local doctor's office or local hospital and on request!
Then we need our doctors to have a blueprint for how to use that information to improve our health or cure a disease we may have due to our genetic make up,,,
We're not there yet..unfortunately, but perhaps in 10 years time?
Prolonging our lifespan would be nice too...As is seems like a bad joke to even be born at all! to live 100 years? if that! its ridiculous to think that we are designed for greatness or to conquer the universe (as some may have it) or understand the meening of life. Its ridiculous how vulnerable we are at the hands at every little virus, right here! in our own environment!
Looking at our present genetic make up it seems we are doomed and as is, we cant have any pretenses of achieving much as species...so sad..
Maybe the answer will be revealed through a deeper understanding of genetics in the future...
Imagine our progress if Enstein would have lived 300 years...is that too much to ask?
Regards

The secrets in your genome

EB, Warwick, NY — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:41:05 GMT

Although affordable personal genomes for your chromosomes are not yet within reach, you can find out the complete sequence of your mitochondria, for about $900, from one of several genetic genealogy companies. The mitochondria, also known as mtDNA, is the energy producing organelle within your cells, transferred down the maternal line.