Happy National DNA Day 2017!

My celebration of National DNA Day and fascination with genetic DNA testing began with my first mitochondrial test (mtDNA) on 30 December 2011. The results of my mitochondrial lineage — Haplogroup L2a1l1b — just confirmed what I already knew about myself and the female ancestors in my family tree — our ancient origins/roots are in Africa!

As more genetic tests became available, my desire to know more about my ancestral roots prompted me to expand my results. So from 2011 to 2016, I completed the mtDNA Plus, Family Finder, mtFull Sequence, and Autosomal tests. With each test, I learned some amazing information about my lineage and ethnicity!

I’m 84% African. No surprises there!

I'm 84% Africa
Cameroon/Congo – 29%; Benin/Togo – 18%; Nigeria 13%; Mali – 12%; Ivory Coast/Ghana 9%

I’m 12% European. It was interesting to learn which areas of Europe are a part of my DNA!

I'm 12% European
Ireland – 6%; Scandinavia – 3%; Western Europe – 2%; Finland/Northwest Russia – 1%; Great Britain – <1%

Guess what?! I’m 2% Asian! Who knew?! – ROFL!!

I'm 2% Asian
Regions: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan; Azerbaijan, Afghanistan

To every family member who told me that my great-great-grandmothers on both sides of my family tree were Native Americans (and I didn’t believe them), this one is for you!

I’m 1% Native American! So I guess those relatives who talked about having high cheekbones, being hairless with straight hair that is not exactly curly, kinky, or spirally may have been on to something here — LOL!

I'm 1% Native American

So, how will you celebrate National DNA Day? Feel free to celebrate with me here by sharing your Haplogroup and/or Ethnicity results in the comment section of this post if you like!

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The Poetry of DNA

April 25, 2017, is National DNA Day where students, teachers, and the public worldwide will spend time learning more about genetics and genomics!

Why Celebrate National DNA Day?

Ask a genealogy hobbyist what they think of genetic DNA testing, and some will say they’re fascinated but haven’t quite figured it out just yet. Others will beam and readily talk about how this great scientific discovery of all time – DNA’s Double Helix — has helped them to verify family and discover deep ancestral roots!

I believe Prince Ea says it best in his profound video below that, “This is about ME. This is about YOU. This is about us, and everyone who lives—and lived—in this world.” So true, so true! I hope that you join in on the celebration. And just in case you have not given celebrating DNA Day any thought, check out Prince Ea’s “The Poetry of DNA” video and be inspired to be a part of this celebration!

Follow Friday: DNAeXPlained, Your Genetic Genealogist, and Haplogroup

It’s Follow Friday and today I recommend three of my favorite “go-to” bloggers for understanding DNA, genetic genealogy and haplogroups. Check them out!

DNAeXplained: Discovering Your Ancestors – one Gene at a Time – is the excellent blog of Roberta Estes, a professional scientist and business owner for 25+ years, as well as, an obsessed genealogist since 1978. She manages over 20 surname projects and is the founder of the Lost Colony DNA research projects.  Her niche is Native American Heritage and minority admixture. I discovered Roberta’s blog and website after I got my mtDNA results back from FamilyTreeDNA in 2012. After trying to make sense of my report, I knew right away I was going to need some help and her article, “Mitochondrial DNA Results – What Do They Mean and What Do I Do With Them?” was an excellent start!

Your Genetic Genealogist with CeCe Moore is a wonderful treat for she makes genetics — a complicated subject — very easy to understand! Cece is one BUSY independent professional genetic genealogist! She is the Lead Ancestry Ambassador for 23andMe, Moderator for the ISOGG DNA Newbie List and Administrator for the ISOGG Wikipedia, Regional Coordinator for Southern California’s International Society of Genetic Genealogy, and much, much more! Her expertise is in assisting others in understanding Autosomal DNA testing products such as 23andMe’s Relative Finder, FTDNA’s Family Finder and Ancestry.com’s AncestryDNA. Her niche is in Adoption DNA and Adoption genealogy. 

Haplogroup – Finding Your Ancestry Through Your Genes – is the new blog of Rebekah Canada, who fell in love with genealogy at the age of seven. According to her blog’s bio, her love for genealogy “…began with a family history written by one of her maternal cousins. Over the months and many bags of pogan ginger cookies, she fell in love with the women of Colonial New England.” Her expertise is in the area of personal genealogy, minority population heritage, personal genomics education, and project administration best practices. What I enjoy most about Rebekah is — she has a “heart” of a teacher! Her 29 June 2013 post titled, “Soloma’s Daughters – Your Ancestor’s mtDNA and Who Has It offers wonderful step-by-step instructions on how to use our mtDNA Full Sequence Understanding Results and apply it to any working genealogy projects we have to verify our female line.

My Family’s First Round of Y-DNA Testing is Back

This summer is definitely sizzling hot for me as I make some substantial breaks in my research about my maternal great-grandfather Lewis Chappel, and getting my family’s first round of Y-DNA testing back too!

I took advantage of the special FamilyTreeDNA was offering for Y-DNA 12 testing in April. My oldest brother (Elgin Taylor) agreed to test and the results are back. His results could not have come back at a better time, for FamilyTreeDNA has a great sizzling summer sale going on right now on their genetic genealogy tests through July 26. This test he took in April was just the start and the basic information that came back (the origin of ancestry for my male lineage is Nigeria) has definitely peaked our family’s interest to know more. So I’m in the process of ordering an additional test while this great sale is going on.

So if you’ve been thinking about genetic testing to answer your genealogy questions (or just to determine the origins of your ancestry), then I share the summer sale newsletter I received from FamilyTreeDNA with you below!

Dear Valued Customer,

Summer is once again upon us and it is time for our Sizzling Summer event! Our successful summers over the last two years have led us to offer you great values again this year.

We have been working with Illumina to offer our Family Finder autosomal test for only $99 during our summer event. In fact, if we receive enough orders at $99, Illumina may be able to help us keep it at this extremely low of rate of $99!

As you take advantage of our summer event, remember that the permanency of the $99 Family Finder test is actually in your hands!

Beginning on Thursday, June 27, 2013 and running until Friday, July 26, 2013, we will offer the following:

Family Finder
was $289; Now $99

mtDNA Full Sequence
as $289; Now $189

Y-DNA37
was $169; Now $129

Y-DNA67
was $268; Now $208

Y-DNA111
was $359; Now $308

Family Finder + Y-DNA37
was $368; Now $228

Family Finder + Y-DNA67
was $467; Now $307

Family Finder + mtDNAFullSequence
was $398; Now $288

Comprehensive Genome (Y-DNA67, FMS & FF)
was $666; Now $496

REMEMBER: ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY 11:59pm CST, JULY 26, 2013, TO RECEIVE THESE SPECIAL PRICES.

Press Release: Gene By Gene Signs Agreement with MD Anderson Cancer Center

Gene By Gene, LtdIf you’ve ever purchased a DNA kit from Family Tree DNA, then Gene By Gene, Ltd is the company that provides that test through their Family Tree DNA division. This company was the first to offer genetic genealogy testing to consumers over a decade ago. I’m especially impressed with the fact that their prestigious instruction and training in molecular genetic technology is the reason for their new alliance with one of our nation’s top Cancer Centers — University of Texas MD Anderson. So read the press release and share the news!

HOUSTON, April 23, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ — Gene By Gene, Ltd., the Houston-based genomics and genetics testing company, announced that it has signed an agreement with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to become one of its affiliated clinical laboratories.

Under the agreement, scientists at Gene By Gene’s Genomic Research Center will provide the clinical phase instruction, training and supervision required for students in the Molecular Genetic Technology Program, one of eight undergraduate programs offered through MD Anderson’s School of Health Professions.

“We’re delighted to partner with Gene By Gene, with its long and pioneering history in the field of genomics,” said Program Director, Peter Hu, Ph.D., with the School of Health Professions. “Gene By Gene’s sequencing, next-generation sequencing and microarray laboratory will provide the top level of experience and training that we want all our molecular students to attain.”

Gene By Gene’s Genomic Research Center is a CLIA registered lab which has processed more than 5 million discrete DNA tests from more than 700,000 individuals and organizations globally. It is now one of only 36 laboratories in the United States, including the Yale University School of Medicine and the Baylor College of Medicine, to achieve this prestigious affiliation.

“We’re very proud to be able to share our laboratory and expertise with MD Anderson’s School of Health Professions,” said Gene By Gene President Bennett Greenspan. “It’s an honor to be among the select few companies and institutions that are invited to affiliate with this prestigious institution. In addition, this is a wonderful opportunity for Gene By Gene to continue investing in the next generation of leaders in genomic and genetic science, and we’re thrilled to welcome the first students to our Genomics Research Center this May.”

About Gene By Gene, Ltd.

Founded in 2000, Gene By Gene, Ltd. provides reliable DNA testing to a wide range of consumer and institutional customers through its four divisions focusing on ancestry, health, research and paternity. Gene By Gene provides DNA tests through its Family Tree DNA division, which pioneered the concept of direct-to-consumer testing in the field of genetic genealogy more than a decade ago. Gene by Gene is CLIA registered and through its clinical-health division DNA Traits offers regulated diagnostic tests. DNA DTC is the Research Use Only (RUO) division serving both direct-to-consumer and institutional clients worldwide. Gene By Gene offers AABB certified relationship tests through its paternity testing division, DNA Findings. The privately held company is headquartered in Houston, which is also home to its state-of-the-art Genomics Research Center.

Media Contact: Kate Croft for Gene By Gene, Ltd. Casteel Schoenborn 888-609-8351 croft@csirfirm.com

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Source Citation:

Gene Gene, LTD. (2013, April 23). Gene By Gene Signs Agreement with MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved April 23, 2013, from http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/23/5364311/gene-by-gene-signs-agreement-with.html