Blog Review: The Genetic Genealogist

This blog was started in February 2007 and as it’s name suggests is about the intersection between genealogy and genetics (with some genome mapping updates as well). The genealogist regularly writes reviews about genetic testing companies. In one article for instance he writes about a company that offer genetic testing and lifestyle advice. Or in another article he writes about how you can get your genome sequenced – but you won’t have any change left from $350,000 (£194,000 at the time of writing). This is an important emerging area and I wonder how long it is before people turn up to see their doctors with this type of information. The medical profession will need to know how to respond in these circumstances.

There are other articles on the use of gene studies in archaeology – for instance the genealogist looks at some of the evidence for the origins of native american indians. The regulation of gene testing in the USA looks to be another important area covered in this article – apparently there have been tests carried out using unnapproved facilities. Considering the seriousness of the conditions that are being diagnosed, regulation seems to be a step in the right direction. The genetic discrimination act is also discussed. Other interesting articles include one on the findings from a Finnish study of genealogy, a starter’s guide to genetic genealogy and a links to Roots TV – a program dedicated to genealogy. Here’s a nice explanation of the recent mtDNA analysis suggesting a bottleneck of just 2000 people being responsible for giving rise to the human race and an area I have a soft spot for – sequencing of the Neanderthal genome. There is also a series of interviews with scientists in the field.

This is an easily accessible blog on genetics (and genealogy) with lots of interesting articles. Reading this blog is a useful way of keeping an eye on this extremely important area which will no doubt reshape the field of medicine over the coming decades.

Disclaimer

The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.