News & Resources
On June 18, we announced an exciting new partnership with the online genealogy leader, Ancestry.com, by way of our parent company and laboratory, Sorenson Genomics. DNA testing and select genetic genealogy services formerly provided by Relative Genetics are now offered exclusively through Ancestry.com. All Relative Genetics' information will migrate to Ancestry.com except for data of individuals who have expressly notified us to the contrary.
As part of the data migration, we are taking the opportunity to recalibrate some of the markers in our data set, specifically DYS 442, DYS 452, DYS 463, GATA A10, and GATA H4. These changes are effective as of August 1, 2007.
Sorenson Genomics adopts industry standards in reporting nomenclature as specified by organizations, such as the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG). While your DNA remains constant, adopting the most current naming conventions often results in changes to your haplotype data, as is the case with these five markers. You may be aware that there are some discrepancies within the genetic genealogy community in the names and methods used to identify loci and allele values. This is to be expected in an emerging field with ever-advancing scientific methods and discoveries. As the industry identifies and adopts new markers, the standards bodies periodically respond by making recommendations for a standardized naming convention for each marker. As a result, it becomes necessary for us to adjust our reporting nomenclature to meet these conventions.
Allele Changes
DYS442
Action taken: Increased allele value by 5 to include the following repeat structure: (TATC)2(TGTC)3(TATC)n. Formerly, only the (TATC)n repeat was counted.
DYS452
Action taken: Increased allele value by 19 to include the following repeat structure (TATAC)2(TGTAC)2(TATAC)n(CATAC)1(TATAC)1(CATAC)1(TATAC)3-4(CATAC)0-2(TATAC)0-3(CATAC)1(TATAC)3. Formerly, only the (TATAC)n repeat was counted.
DYS463
Action taken: Increased allele value by 2 to include the following repeat structure: (AAAGG)n(AAGGG)n(AAGGA)2. Formerly, only the (AAAGG)n(AAGGG)n repeats were counted.
GATA A10
Action taken: Increased allele value by 2 to include the following repeat structure: (TCCA)2(TATC)n. Formerly, only the (TATC)n repeat was counted.
GATA H4
Action taken: Locus name has changed to GATA H4.1 to reflect the correct region of DNA amplification. Allele values will be increased by 10 to include the following repeat structure (AGAT)4CTAT(AGAT)2(AGGT)3(AGAT)n. Formerly, only the (AGAT)n repeat was counted.
Adopted allele and locus nomenclature guidelines as set forth by the International Society of Forensic Genetics: L. Gusmao et. al. Forensic Science International 157 (2006) 187-197.
Cetificates
Relative Genetics' customer certificates, available in PDF format on the www.relativegenetics.com website, are being modified to reflect the nomenclature changes described above. Presently, the PDF link has been removed from the website until the certificates are modified. As certificates are modified, the new PDF link will be activated on the website. Please note that the data in your MYDNA, MYPROJECTS and MYSEARCH website page views do accurately reflect the above changes to each locus.
Should you have any questions about this change, please contact us via info@relativegenetics.com or our Client Support Team 800-956-9362.
It has been our pleasure to provide genetic genealogy services and support to our faithful and valued customers over the years.
Best regards,
The Relative Genetics Team
Combines Three Major Pillars of Family History Research - Historical Records, DNA and Family Trees
Questions? Please read the Ancestry.com Partnership FAQs
PROVO, UTAH (June 18, 2007)—A new partnership seeks to reunite families through science. The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, has announced it will combine its unrivaled collection of online family trees and historical documents with Sorenson Genomics' precision ancestral DNA testing. This unique partnership promises to revolutionize family history by allowing people to trace their roots and connect to distant cousins through DNA at the click of a mouse.
Ancestry.com boasts more than 14 million users and the world's largest collection of online family trees. In the last 12 months alone, more than two million people have built family trees on Ancestry.com. Sorenson Genomics is one of the world's foremost laboratories for genetic genealogy testing services, and has been helping genealogists extend branches of their family trees through DNA analysis since 2001.
"Entering the DNA category is a natural and powerful extension of our company's mission to connect families across distance and time," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network. "Our partnership with Sorenson Genomics creates an incredible combination of resources designed to demonstrate how closely we are all related."
By taking a simple cheek-swab test and comparing results against DNA profiles in a test-results database, virtually anyone can uncover genealogical associations unimaginable just a few years ago. Users can easily connect with and discover lost or unknown relatives within a few generations, as well as gain insight into where their families originated thousands of years ago.
In the coming months, Ancestry.com will release technology that captures DNA test results in an ever-expanding, searchable database. Using this database, users can easily identify distant cousins and tap into thousands of hours of already-completed genetic genealogical research, breaking through family tree dead-ends or barriers such as missing or inaccurate records and name changes. Ancestry.com is also developing technology that will allow users to integrate DNA results with the historical documents already in their online family trees.
"DNA research becomes more meaningful to people searching for relatives as more peoples' DNA results become part of the database," said Doug Fogg, COO of Sorenson Genomics. "By combining the powerful networking effect of Ancestry.com's extensive user base with Sorenson Genomics' industry-leading DNA testing capabilities, this partnership will dramatically alter and expand the DNA testing services marketplace."
Prior to the current partnership, Sorenson Genomics provided DNA testing and database matching services through its direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy division Relative Genetics. This new partnership agreement brings former customers of Relative Genetics and its DNA database under The Generations Network's umbrella. Sorenson Genomics will now provide DNA testing services for The Generations Network, and Ancestry.com will market DNA testing and database-matching services for genealogy purposes. Results of the Relative Genetics' DNA database will be included in Ancestry.com's growing database.
About Ancestry.com
With 24,000 searchable databases and titles, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com) is the No. 1 online source for family history information. Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own unique family trees. The site is home to the only complete online U.S. Federal Census collection, 1790-1930, as well as the world's largest online collection of U.S. ship passenger list records featuring more than 100 million names, 1820-1960. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including MyFamily.com, Rootsweb.com, Genealogy.com and Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive 10.4 million unique visitors worldwide and over 450 million page views a month (© comScore Media Metrix, March 2007).
About Sorenson Genomics
Sorenson Genomics (sorensongenomics.com) is a best-in-class genetic testing laboratory certified to ISO 17025 and accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. It was the world's first laboratory accredited for genetic genealogy testing services. A pioneer in the relatively new science of genetic genealogy, Sorenson Genomics has provided genetic testing solutions to help genealogists extend branches of family trees since 2001. The company administered the DNA testing for PBS's widely acclaimed series "African American Lives," which traced the roots of icons Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones and others. Through its independent business units GeneTree and Sorenson Forensics, Sorenson Genomics provides a wide spectrum of contract services to clients throughout the world, including DNA extraction and purification; DNA sequencing and genotyping; forensic DNA casework; disaster victim identification; ancestral and population assessment, and custom test development.
Questions? Please read the Ancestry.com Partnership FAQs
Media Contacts
Julia Burgon
Coltrin & Associates for Ancestry.com
212-221-1616 ext. 124
julia_burgon@coltrin.com
Tola St. Matthew-Daniel
Coltrin & Associates for Ancestry.com
212-221-1616 ext. 101
tola@coltrin.com
David Parkinson
Sorenson Genomics
801-971-2450
david@sorensoncompanies.com
Expanded and Enhanced Testing Services Offer Most Complete Mitochondrial DNA Sequencing Results Commercially Available, and Significantly Improve Accuracy of Maternal Lineage Matches
SALT LAKE CITY (September 18, 2006)—Relative Genetics, the leading provider of DNA testing services for individuals and families researching ancestry, today announced the availability of enhanced mitochondrial DNA testing services that dramatically improve the accuracy and reach of maternal lineage information.
Mitochondrial DNA is passed exclusively from mothers to their children, providing a dependable way to trace maternal ancestries for both men and women. The most accurate way to distinguish the genetic profile of one individual's maternal lineage from another's and to identify deep ancestral origins is through analysis of genetic sequences from three "hypervariable" regions of the mitochondrial DNA. The new Relative Genetics mitochondrial DNA testing includes analysis of these three regions, adding great detail and precision to the results. Relative Genetics already offers the industry's leading Y-chromosome DNA testing services for paternal lineage research.
In addition, Relative Genetics has enhanced its mitochondrial DNA sequencing and Y-chromosome genotyping services by including a haplogroup predictor with each test, at no extra cost. This analysis uses the results of DNA tests-mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome or both-to assign individuals to a haplogroup that can identify their deep ancestral origins and may detect geographic origins going back tens of thousands of years.
"We expect our new 'high resolution' mitochondrial DNA testing service to be popular with both men and women interested in using mitochondrial DNA to resolve genealogical questions or find genetic cousins," said Doug Fogg, COO of Relative Genetics. "We have received many requests for the haplogroup predictor, as many individuals are expressing interest in both their recent and deep ancestral origins."
The release of the Relative Genetics enhanced mitochondrial DNA maternal line analysis service coincides with the release of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) mitochondrial DNA database. Nonprofit SMGF is building the world's largest searchable databases of genetic profiles correlated with genealogical records. The new Relative Genetics testing is designed to optimize the utility of the SMGF databases. A hyperlink from the Relative Genetics Website enables users to directly search the SMGF mitochondrial DNA database. In addition, participants in the SMGF databases receive a voucher for deeply discounted DNA testing from Relative Genetics. Details are available at www.relativegenetics.com or at www.smgf.org.
Duane Gerstenberger of Sun City West got interested in genealogy when he planned a 100th birthday party for his mother-in-law, who wasn't sure about the exact day she was born. He found it by searching birth records and went on to spend the next six years researching his own family, the Gerstenbergers.
The trouble was, he wasn't sure he was a Gerstenberger. A church in Poland that contained family records was destroyed during World War II and, with it, evidence of any connection between his family and the Gerstenbergers he had been studying.
Through Relative Genetics, a Salt Lake City firm founded by billionaire James LeVoy Sorensen, Gerstenberger was able to make the connection, and on Aug. 11, he left for a family reunion in Berlin.
Relative Genetics compared Gerstenberger's DNA with that of other Gerstenbergers and found matches.
"It gave me a family," he said.
Ancestor tracing is one of the fastest-growing new applications for DNA tests.
"It's a brand-new field that is just developing," said Doug Fogg, chief operating officer of Relative Genetics. "We are increasingly able to reconstruct family trees to support or disprove written genealogies."
DNA tests can determine a person's combination of European, Native American, Asian and African gene types and trace the migration of male and females lineages.
Tests look for genetic mutations of the male Y chromosome and female mitochondrial DNA that occurred in specific regions at specific times. By placing ancestors in specific areas at specific periods in time, their migratory routes and ethnic heritage can be determined.
Chromosomal Laboratories in Phoenix offers a $160 test that claims to be able to trace ancestors back 70,000 years.
Often the tests are used to make closer connections with specific families such as the Gerstenbergers. In Salt Lake City, the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation's goal is to build the world's largest genealogical databases. It holds 3 million names and 70,000 DNA samples in its registry.
Relative Genetics’ Easy, Inexpensive DNA Tests Generate Ancestry Answers for Family History Hobbyists
Once Stymied by Missing Family History Resources, an Army Physician Who Retired to Arizona and a California Writer Learn Definitively Who their Extended Family is by Having their Own DNA Tested. Like a Global Positioning System for Family History Buffs, the New Science of Genetic Genealogy is Transforming One of America’s Most Popular Hobbies.
SALT LAKE CITY (August 8, 2006)—The revolution in forensic police work and diagnostic medicine brought about by DNA testing is now well known by the general public. But fewer people know that inexpensive cheek-swab genetic tests are also transforming one of America’s most popular hobbies—family history research—through the new science of genetic genealogy, which links individuals to family trees using genetic profiles. Today, family history buffs are coming to Relative Genetics, in Salt Lake City, a genealogical company that specializes in DNA testing, looking for answers to their important ancestry questions.
More than 70 percent of U.S. adults say they are interested in learning about their family history, according to a 2005 survey by Market Strategies Inc. and MyFamily.com. But traditional genealogical techniques depend on pieces of paper, such as census, tax, court and church records. So time, negligence and historical events—such as war and catastrophic fires—easily destroy them. When paper records do survive, they often are incomplete, inaccurate or contradictory. Oral history can be helpful, but it is subjective and sometimes misleading.
Until DNA testing became inexpensive and readily available, tracing family history was often a hit-or-miss affair with many hobbyists frustrated by tantalizing, but inconclusive, family narratives or paper trail dead-ends.
Dr. Duane F. Gerstenberger, of Sun City West, Ariz., hit such a dead-end during his six-year family history research project. His personal ancestry roadblock went up when Russian soldiers in Poland in 1945 torched church papers containing family information about his grandfather. The retired physician published a 420-page book on the genealogy of the Gerstenbergers in 1993, but still could not prove conclusively he was part of the family.
San Francisco, Calif., writer Martin Marshall encountered a different barrier: he never knew his biological father’s name. After Marshall’s mother died, and with a grandchild of his own on the way, he, like Gerstenberger, sought the help of Relative Genetics, which was founded in 2001 to help others establish family relationships through comprehensive DNA testing, genetic interpretation and genealogical analysis. Marshall and Gerstenberger both took a simple, cheek-swab genetic test and discovered links to their ancestors that were more convincing than any paper trail or family story could ever be.
For Marshall, DNA test results and a subsequent search on the free Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation web site—which is the world’s most comprehensive correlated genetic-genealogy database—revealed his father was a member of the Sizemore family. An ensuing paper record search revealed that, indeed, a man named Sizemore lived eight blocks from his mother’s home in Maplewood, Mo., during 1948, the year that Marshall was conceived.
For Gerstenberger, Relative Genetics allowed him to confidently place himself in the extended Gerstenberger family and he will participate in a worldwide Gerstenberger family reunion in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 22-27, 2006, which includes a side trip to the 750-year-old village of Gerstenberg. He marvels that a simple DNA test solved his long-standing ancestry question. “When I was studying to be a physician in the 1950s,” said Gerstenberger, “researchers had just learned that Down syndrome was caused by an extra chromosome. I never dreamed then that genetics would be able to help me with my ancestry research today.”
DNA testing for genealogical purposes “is like a new type of GPS—a Genealogical Positioning System,” said Doug Fogg, chief operating officer of Relative Genetics. “Each individual carries a biological record that cannot be destroyed, which is the genetic information passed down from parents, grandparents and earlier ancestors.” High-tech genetic testing permits that DNA record to be analyzed to help reconstruct family trees and to direct family history research. “We tell people that the work they do to define their family tree becomes more valuable over time because as people get older, they usually value ancestry information more. An ancestry chart is a wonderful gift to your children and grandchildren and those yet to come. We say, ‘Your past is your present to the future’.”
No sooner had news surfaced last week of the genetic link between Tom Robinson, an accounting professor in Florida, and Genghis Khan than the celebrity ancestor one-upmanship began.
That connection was speculative at best, sniffed some among the swelling ranks of amateur genetic genealogists. One, Georgia Bopp, 65, of Kailua, Hawaii, said there was much harder evidence for the shared ancestry of her husband and Marie Antoinette.
Tom Bopp discovered the match when he entered the string of numbers that represent his own genetic signature — derived from mitochondrial DNA, which passes unchanged from mothers to their children — into a search engine a couple of years ago. The guillotined French queen's mitochondrial DNA had previously been extracted from a lock of hair clipped when she was a child, and the analysis published in a genetics journal.
Just who Mr. Bopp's and the monarch's shared ancestor might be is unknown. But that doesn't stop Ms. Bopp from telling her husband to "eat cake" when, for instance, he expresses premature concern about what's for dinner.
Genetic genealogy in its commercial form is barely five years old, but the hunt for famous ancestors is in full swing. In England, a favorite is William the Conqueror, or, barring that, one of his barons. In the South, it's Robert E. Lee.
The case of Mr. Robinson, who was fielding news media calls from around the world last week, epitomized the dream. One day he sent in a cheek swab to Oxford Ancestors, a DNA genealogy company, and presto: Genghis Khan Jr.
For a few hundred dollars, genetic ancestry tests can penetrate the fog of history in a way that traditional genealogical tools often cannot. And perhaps more important, the DNA link imbues genealogy with an authority it has never had.
Learning you are the scion of kings from mildewed marriage records is one thing. Carrying around a dollop of royal DNA in every cell is something else. Suddenly, the fantasy that ancestral fame can rub off on descendants seems almost like scientific fact.
"People feel they can ascribe greatness to themselves because it's inscribed in their genes," said Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, an anthropologist specializing in bioethics at Stanford University. "Even though their actual lives may not reflect that."
Even the exceedingly unassuming Mr. Robinson, who said he had been taken aback by the fuss over his DNA, allowed for a certain affinity with his progenitor: "I do have administrative skills," he said, noting that Genghis Khan had built roads and managed a corps of ambassadors after conquering most of the known world.
Whether the preoccupation with the power of genes to confer distinction is entirely healthy is unclear; whether it is rational, even less so. Genghis Khan, for one, who reportedly adopted orphans from conquered tribes into his own clan, might not have approved. "They weren't as hung up on blood as we are," said Jack Weatherford, author of "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World."
The small fraction of an individual's DNA that can be used to trace a maternal or paternal lineage, scientists say, has little tangible impact on an individual descendant's physical characteristics or susceptibility to disease. But for many amateur genealogists, the psychological effect of knowing that they carry a physical artifact, no matter how tiny, of a noteworthy historical figure, can be significant. At any rate, the collision of two pet preoccupations — celebrity and one's own genes — seems to be fueling sales of genetic ancestry tests.
Jews with variations of the surname Cohen, historically associated with the priesthood, seek genetic confirmation that they are descended from the line said to have begun with Moses' brother, Aaron. Oprah Winfrey's claim to Zulu DNA last year was disputed, but many African-Americans aspire to the same. Others would prefer a genetic match to Ms. Winfrey herself.
"People come up and ask me all the time, 'How can I find out if I'm related to Oprah?' " said Peggy Hayes, director of sales and marketing for Relative Genetics, a Salt Lake City company specializing in DNA genealogy tests. Ms. Winfrey's genetic profile, Ms. Hayes added, is confidential.
Famous criminals are also prime ancestor material, as long as they lived far enough in the past. Roberta Estes spent years trying to determine whether the Youngers she is related to in Halifax County, Va., share ancestry with the Youngers who rode with Jesse James. DNA testing recently showed they do not.
"People were disappointed," said Ms. Estes, 50, of Brighton, Mich.
That's the downside to DNA tests: just as they can offer a shortcut to ancestrally derived prominence, they can also filter out the pretenders. Of the 74 Lees who have had their DNA tested with Relative Genetics in hopes of finding a link to Robert E., for instance, none matched the signature of the known descendants of the general.
"One lady who sponsored a male cousin of hers asked if he did the test incorrectly," said M. Clint Lee, the project coordinator, who counts himself among the disappointed. "She didn't want to believe the results."
The ability to trace an ancestral lineage through DNA is the result of a quirk of human biology. The Y chromosome, which determines maleness, is passed unchanged from father to son. Mitochondrial DNA, which is passed on intact from mothers to their children, can be used similarly to trace maternal ancestry.
In the case of Ghengis Khan, scientists inferred that a distinctive signature in the Y chromosome of men living within the borders of the former Mongol empire must have been his, because only he and his sons would have been prolific enough to spread it so far.
Only a handful of historical figures — all, obviously, men — have had a similarly recognizable opportunity to propagate their genes so widely. But the DNA of others has been analyzed through the efforts of interested historians, scientists or descendants, so that individuals can check their DNA signatures against it.
Thomas Jefferson and the Romanovs are among those on the International Society of Genetic Genealogy's Famous DNA page (www.isogg.org/famousdna.htm). Billy the Kid, Christopher Columbus and Joan of Arc, the site says, are "coming soon."
"People want to connect," said Katherine Borges, the society's director. "And they don't just want to connect to their fourth cousins or sixth cousins."
View the entire article at
http://www.nytimes.com
SALT LAKE CITY (March 9, 2006) - A Utah company is playing a key role in helping many individuals with African roots to trace their lineages and family histories through leading edge genetic analysis.
Relative Genetics (www.relativegenetics.com) today announced that Rick Kittles, Ph.D., co-founder and scientific director of African Ancestry, Inc. (www.africanancestry.com), and an associate professor of virology, immunology and medical genetics at The Ohio State University Medical Center, will visit Relative Genetics Thursday, March 9, 2007 to discuss ongoing collaborative genetic genealogy projects.
Since 2003, Relative Genetics has performed DNA testing services for African Ancestry. Notably, Relative Genetics provided the DNA testing services for African American Lives, a series that premiered in February 2006 on PBS. For African American Lives, African Ancestry utilized the DNA analysis provided by Relative Genetics to trace the ancestries and explore the family histories of some of the nation?s leading celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Chris Tucker, Whoopi Goldberg and Quincy Jones.
Relative Genetics and African Ancestry are currently collaborating to perform DNA analysis that helps trace African genetic roots and lineages for genealogists, individuals and families throughout the world.
Relative Genetics' affiliated lab, Sorenson Genomics, is one of the most advanced DNA testing facilities in the world, providing sophisticated genetic testing and genetic genealogy expertise at prices an average family can afford. African Ancestry, Inc. is an early pioneer and leader in the application of genetic genealogy - utilizing DNA testing to reconstruct family trees and help families definitively connect with their roots.
Genetic genealogy applies DNA testing to traditional genealogical research methods. Genetic information about deceased ancestors can be constructed by testing living individuals and determining shared common ancestry.
"The bridge to the past collapsed with the advent of the slave trade, and we're reconstructing it by using DNA," said Dr. Kittles. "Tracing ancestry through DNA can lead to insight about potential ancestors and places of ancestry for untold numbers of people."
"Rigorous genetic genealogy is often the only way to perform 'deep ancestry' that allows people to trace their family lines all the way back to their African origins," said Dr. Kittles. "The DNA testing and analysis of Relative Genetics and Sorenson Genomics has been an essential part of this effort, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful collaboration."
"We are honored to be involved with the work of Dr. Kittles and African Ancestry, which significantly enhances the sense of identity and belonging for many people of African descent," said Doug Fogg, chief operating officer of Relative Genetics. "I am convinced that the cases of the high profile families we have worked with are an early harbinger of a fast-growing trend. As DNA ancestry grows increasingly mainstream, it will touch countless lives for good."
About Relative Genetics
Relative Genetics (www.relativegenetics.com) provides genetic testing solutions to help genealogists build the branches of their family trees. The company?s comprehensive testing services allow private companies, individuals, family organizations and genealogists around the world to establish relationships and identity through DNA testing, genetic interpretation and genealogical analysis. Relative Genetics is noted for its industry-leading turnaround time and its skilled staff of molecular scientists and genetic genealogists. In collaboration with its affiliated DNA testing laboratory, Sorenson Genomics, Relative Genetics offers the most complete specialized genetic testing capabilities available under one roof for paternal and maternal lines, extended family and ancestral origins.
About African Ancestry
Headquartered in Washington, DC, and wholly owned by African-Americans, African Ancestry, Inc. (www.africanancestry.com), is a cutting-edge science company. The firm was cofounded by Dr. Rick Kittles, scientific director and an expert at the forefront of efforts to use DNA to trace ancestry, and Gina Paige, president and seasoned entrepreneur.
African Ancestry's novel African Lineage Database™ is the largest of its kind in the world. The repository of molecular blueprints of African peoples was created out of extensive research by Dr. Kittles. Over 4,000 people - including several celebrities and leaders such as Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Spike Lee, Quincy Jones, Levar Burton and former U.S. United Nations ambassador Andrew Young - have taken African Ancestry's DNA-based genealogy test to help fill in ancestral gaps in their family trees. Unlike other DNA-based genealogy tests, the firm's tests can genetically determine WHERE in Africa a person's African ancestors came from.
African Ancestry offers two DNA-based genealogy tests: its MatriClan™ test of maternal DNA inherited from your mother; and its PatriClan™ test of paternal DNA, inherited from your father if you are male. Each test costs $349 US.
Press Contact
Peggy Hayes
Relative Genetics
800.956.9362 Ext. 451 (office); 801.209.8813 (cell)
phayes@relativegenetics.com
Kimball Thomson
Next Phase Communications (for Relative Genetics)
801.456.1472 (office); 801.918.3637 (cell)
kthomson@npcomm.com
SALT LAKE CITY (November 14, 2005) - Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF), a non-profit research organization dedicated to fostering global family history research and family connections by building the world's largest database of correlated genetic and genealogical information, and Relative Genetics, a leading global provider of genetic testing solutions for private companies, individuals, family organizations and genealogists, have joined forces to reward family history hobbyists who submit DNA samples and ancestry records for inclusion in the Foundation's rapidly expanding database.
Beginning today, those who submit their DNA sample (obtained with a swish of mouthwash) along with a four-generation pedigree chart to SMGF for inclusion in its database will qualify for a coupon for a steeply discounted price on a sophisticated analysis of their DNA by Relative Genetics laboratory. Those who have already donated their DNA profile and family history to the SMGF database will be eligible for the discount as well. By redeeming the coupon, SMGF participants will be able to obtain a 26 Marker Y-chromosome Paternal Line Analysis on their DNA or a mtDNA Maternal Line Analysis for the price of $95, a savings of approximately 40 percent.
All DNA-pedigree donors also have the satisfaction of participating in a visionary project that is forever changing the way ancestry research is done. The relatively new science of molecular genealogy links individuals to their ancestors using genetic profiles, eliminating guesswork and dead-ends caused by surname changes and missing historical records. Today, a visitor to the SMGF Web site (www.smgf.org) can enter the numerical values from their own Y-chromosome DNA profile into the database's drop-down menus and query a subset of 13,489 individual genetic profiles or genotypes. These Y-chromosome genetic profiles are linked to more than 550,000 individual ancestors representing over 9,400 paternal-line surnames. In total SMGF has collected 60,000 DNA samples from around the world with genealogies linked to over 2.5 million ancestral records. This additional data will be made available in future releases.
The research project is a multi-cultural, multi-racial and ecumenical endeavor that collaborates internationally with diverse universities on a database that includes genetic-genealogy information from around the globe. The goal of genetically mapping humanity's entire family tree in a free online database has an idealistic and visionary purpose. "I believe that if people know how closely related we all are, then we will treat each other better," said James LeVoy Sorenson, a renowned medical device entrepreneur who came up with the idea for the Foundation.
New participants may take advantage of this one-time coupon offer by requesting a kit from http://smgf.org/request_a_free_kit.html. New participants must submit a four-generation pedigree chart along with a mouthwash/saliva sample to qualify for the coupon. Past SMGF participants may take advantage of this offer by filling out and submitting the online form found at http://smgf.org/coupon_request.html.
About Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation
Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) is a non-profit research organization that collects and analyzes DNA samples in order to create the world's most comprehensive correlated genetic and genealogical database. SMGF's database uses sophisticated DNA analysis to link individuals together, allowing public access to the database while maintaining strict confidentiality of participants' information. Information is available at the Foundation's Web site, http://www.smgf.org.
About Relative Genetics
Relative Genetics (www.relativegenetics.com) provides genetic testing solutions to help genealogists build the branches of their family trees. The company's comprehensive testing services allow private companies, individuals, family organizations and genealogists around the world to establish relationships and identity through DNA testing, genetic interpretation and genealogical analysis. Relative Genetics offers the most complete specialized genetic testing capabilities available under one roof for extended family and ancestral origin testing.
Service Will Enable Users to Identify and Understand their Particular Genetic "Branch" of the Human Genealogical "Tree"
SALT LAKE CITY (October 31, 2005) - Relative Genetics, a leading global provider of genetic testing solutions for private companies, individuals, family organizations and genealogists, today announced that it has launched a Y-chromosome haplogroup predictor service on the company's Web site, www.relativegenetics.com. The new free service will allow users to learn from which deep genetic ancestral group (haplogroup) they may have originated.
Y-chromosome haplogroup, sometimes called "macrolineage," can be defined as a group of related Y-chromosome haplotypes that share a common deep genetic ancestral origin. Haplogroups can be understood as large branches on the human Y-chromosome phylogenetic tree. A Y-chromosome haplotype (i.e. haploid genotype) is a set of genetic markers (i.e. mutations) inherited through the paternal line, which provide a distinct genetic pattern for that paternal line. Relative Genetics also provides testing services for individuals who would like to know their exact Y-chromosome haplotype.
Haplogroups have been shown to correspond to early human migrations and can be associated with various worldwide geographic locations. Haplogroups, defined by markers found in male (Y chromosome) and female (mitochondrial DNA), link the group together through the markers that first appeared in the group's most recent common ancestor.
"Using Relative Genetics' Y-Chromosome Haplogroup Predictor, when a user enters his Y-chromosome haplotype information, Relative Genetics can predict from which deep genetic ancestral group the user may have originated," said Darlene Odenwalder, a genetic genealogist at Relative Genetics. Relative Genetics is a leading provider of genetic genealogical testing services such as Y-chromosome haplotyping, which includes a laboratory report, an explanation of the results, a Y-chromosome haplogroup prediction, an explanation of haplogroups and a distribution map of the haplogroup.
For more information about the Relative Genetics Y-Chromosome Haplogroup Predictor, visit the company's Web site at www.relativegenetics.com.
About Relative Genetics
Relative Genetics provides genetic testing solutions to help genealogists build the branches of their family trees. The company's comprehensive testing services allow private companies, individuals, family organizations and genealogists around the world to establish relationships and identity through DNA testing, genetic interpretation and genealogical analysis. Relative Genetics offers the most complete specialized genetic testing capabilities available under one roof for extended family and ancestral origin testing.
Several Celebrities Have Used the Test
To help African-Americans trace their ancestry, companies are selling DNA-based genealogy tests which claim to pinpoint where a client's ancestors came from in Africa. Several celebrities have taken the tests, including talk show host Oprah Winfrey, director Spike Lee, actor Isaiah Washington and now ABC News' Ron Claiborne.
"Like so many Americans, I have always wondered about my own roots," Claiborne said. "But as with many African-Americans, I have never known from where in Africa my ancestors came. For most of us, the search ends here, in slavery."
Twenty million people were taken from Africa in chains, with no records of who they were or where they came from.
"The transatlantic slave trade broke apart families, cultures, traditions," said Rick Kittles of African Ancestry, which offers the DNA test. "Many African-Americans, especially young African-Americans, they think their history started with slavery."
When the mini-series "Roots" aired 28 years ago, many black Americans were inspired to search for their own roots. At the time there was little they could do. But today, DNA testing has allowed more than 100,000 Americans to trace their genealogical ancestry back to Africa.
About 3,000 people have been tested at African Ancestry, according to the company. The tests cost between $130 to $650, and in a sign of the growing popularity of the testing, African Ancestry doubled its revenue between 2003 and 2004.
"There are thousands of different ethnic groups and communities and different languages spoken in Africa," Kittles said. "But the communities that we have sampled are those that the historians have suggested have played a big role in terms of the transatlantic slave trade."
As a surprise, Keelechi Igwin, from Nigeria, submitted samples of his wife's family's DNA for testing. His wife, Nia, is from Maryland.
"The thing about being married to Keelechi is he and his family have the fortune to be able to trace back where there family started from," Nia Igwin said. "Black people living in America, unfortunately, we don't have that. That was taken from us."
The results show Nia Igwin's ancestors are from present-day Cameroon and Nigeria, including Ibo, just like her husband.
"Now it's something to help make things a lot more clear for us, and that's a jewel to me," Nia Igwin said.
Critics say the African Ancestry's database it much too small for its results to be so specific. The company said it has a database of more than 22,000 DNA samples from nearly 400 indigenous African groups and reports a match if the statistical probability is 90 percent or higher.
"It is not possible to link anybody in this hemisphere to any ethnic group in Africa at this time," said Bruce Jackson, a geneticist at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
Even knowing the possible limitations, Claiborne decided to submit his DNA for testing.
The results were revealed on today's "Good Morning America:" Claiborne's maternal lineage is from Ghana.
"It's like a door has been opened," Claiborne said. "All my life I've thought about how I'd never know, that there would never be a way to figure out where my family came from."
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
Relative Genetics Refines Web site to Make Genetic Genealogy Accessible to Anyone Interested in Genetic Genealogy, Family History
New, Enhanced Relative Genetics Web site Features Comprehensive Learning Center, Expanded Online Product Listings and Fully Interactive Family Search Features
Salt Lake City (September 12, 2005) – Relative Genetics, a leading genetic genealogy testing company, today announced the release of its new, refined Web site. The site, found at www.relativegenetics.com, combines significantly enhanced functionality with increased usability.
Relative Genetics has been providing genetic testing services to the public since 2001 for the purpose of extending family history information. The field of genetic genealogy is expanding greatly and has become a reliable and significant tool that assists genealogists in furthering written genealogical records. Relative Genetics has made this technology readily available to anyone interested in genealogy as well as to the professional genealogist.
The Relative Genetics Web site is easily navigated through three main portals on the home page. Using these portals, visitors will find simple access to a comprehensive learning center; product listings and explanations; and fully interactive search features.
The site’s learning center provides basic and in-depth information about DNA, genetic testing and the field of genetic genealogy. Once a person has experienced the learning center, then tests may be ordered from the product listing pages. Products are described in detail and are easy to purchase using the shopping cart feature found under each product listing. Easy-to-use DNA cheek cell collection kits are shipped within 48 hours; clients may return the swab specimens through regular mail or via an overnight carrier.
Testing is conducted in an accredited on-site, high capacity genetic testing facility and the results, in the case of the Y chromosome paternal lineage test, are uploaded directly to the Relative Genetics database and the new Web site. Individuals may then choose to login and view their results on-line. Results are kept confidential and are only released to other Web site users at the discretion of the client or project coordinator.
Y-chromosome paternal line test results in the Relative Genetics database can now be searched using the Easy Y-Match™ or Exact Y-Match™ search engines. These two search functions will allow clients to identify other individuals with whom they may have a close genealogical connection. Web site visitors may also search for possible relatives using a basic surname search.
The improved flexibility of the Web site allows individuals to create new projects, participate as members in multiple projects, and accept project members who have been tested by organizations other than Relative Genetics. In addition, members of Group Projects will find that the color coding and sorting features of the group data table makes it easy to quickly identify relatives within their group.
Web site visitors are also granted convenient, effective access to the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation database (www.smgf.org), the world’s leading database of correlated genetic and genealogical information.
The flagship product of the new Relative Genetics site is the paternal lineage Y chromosome 43 marker test. In addition, Relative Genetics makes available its complete line of DNA testing services, including maternal lineage analysis using mitochondrial DNA; ancestral origins testing; and extended family testing for establishing biological relationships, such as grand-parentage, sibling-ship, and first cousin-ship.
“This new site represents a major step forward in our commitment to provide the most comprehensive genetic genealogy tools available to help our users explore their family histories, genetic relationships and identities,” said Kathie Knoll, director of product development for Relative Genetics. “We are fully dedicated to maximizing the functionality and usability of the Relative Genetics site, and encourage the general public to make full use of the new site and begin to experience this great new technology that is being made available for the genealogical community.”
Relative Genetics Introduces Leading Edge DNA Testing Method for Genealogy to Singapore
New Approach to Genealogical Research Helps Shepherdson Families in Singapore Confirm Centuries-Old Genetic Relationship
Salt Lake City and Singapore (August 2, 2005) – Relative Genetics today announced that it will introduce to Singapore its global-standard method for using DNA analysis to support and verify genealogical research. The company will present its genealogical approach to Singaporeans at an exhibition entitled “Who Am I? The Joy of Discovering Your Family History,” the first-ever family history exhibition in Singapore. The event, which is co-organized by the Singapore National Library Board and Singapore’s Shepherdson family, will be held from August 2-August 28 at the new National Library premises.
“We are honored to participate in this great exhibition and feel privileged to introduce our revolutionary methods of using DNA and genetics to assist Singaporeans in their family history work,” said Relative Genetics chief scientific officer Lars Mouritsen, who will represent the company at the Family History Exhibition’s August 2 opening. Relative Genetics provides the industry’s most comprehensive DNA testing, genetic interpretation and genealogical analysis to establish family connections.
The Family History Exhibition is designed to appeal to families, students, senior citizens and others who may be interested in, or are curious about, family history. The exhibition will be launched by Mrs. Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister-of-State, Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports.
The event provides a comprehensive genealogy resource for family history research in Singapore, involving both traditional research and scientific methods. “Initiatives to trace and validate the roots of families, such as DNA Analysis, help to add value and promote genealogy research among Singaporeans,” said Philip Chua, chief technology officer of the Singapore National Heritage Board, who spearheaded the Singapore Family Tree portal (www.sft.com.sg). “This complements our recent national efforts to promote the importance of family history.” The Board has actively promoted the Family Tree project as a “one-stop genealogy portal” to connect Singaporeans across time and space and preserve their sense of heritage and identity with Singapore.
The Shepherdson family is the largest extended family in Singapore to utilize the Relative Genetics method to confirm their family relationships. The extensive Shepherdson family study presents a remarkable example of the value of leading edge DNA analysis for genealogy.
“Relative Genetics is introducing a new and extremely effective way of doing genealogical work for Singapore, by utilizing leading edge DNA analysis methods to help identify genetic family relationships,” said Kevin Shepherdson, co-organizer of the exhibition and an active participant in the Singapore Family Tree project. “Our family can attest to the value of their approach, based on our own extremely positive experience.”
Kevin Shepherdson became involved with Relative Genetics earlier this year when two branches of the Shepherdson family in Singapore retained the Salt Lake City Company to scientifically verify or disprove the families’ belief in the genetic relationship between the two family lines sharing the Shepherdson surname.
Genealogical evidence suggested that all Shepherdsons in Singapore and Malaysia allegedly descended from two brothers—captains Robert and Matthew Shepherdson, both mariners involved in the British East India Trade—who initially settled in the Malay Peninsula, in Malacca and in Penang, respectively.
It was well established that the captains were brothers, but the family hadn’t scientifically confirmed whether the Shepherdsons today were actually the captains’ respective offspring. According to Kevin Shepherdson, “Thanks to Relative Genetics I can now say with certainty what many of us have long believed—that I am indeed related to all the other Shepherdson families in this region. It is our hope that we Eurasians and many other Singaporeans can enjoy the same sense of connection and belonging that this process has allowed us to experience.”
The Family Link Expo 2 is an online genealogy conference with specialized presentations given by professionals in the genealogy field and leading experts in DNA testing.
For an entire month, June 7 - July 7, 2005, family historians can enjoy from the comfort of their own home, 6 presentations devoted to DNA and Genealogy. Relax from a busy day and learn about one of the fastest growing new tools for genealogy research--DNA testing. Designed for busy genealogists, these presentations are 15 minutes and can be viewed the entire month long.
Presentation topics include "DNA from a Genealogist's Perspective," "The Woman's Touch (mtDNA)," and "Using the Y chromosome to Unravel Genealogical Questions" and more! Register today and receive a special Relative Genetics 15% discount off of the already low price. To receive your Relative Genetics 15% discount enter coupon code expo215 in the box entitled "Enter Redeem Code." Click here to register now.
These online Expo presentations are taught by leading DNA expert,
Relative Genetics and Genealogy expert, Karen Clifford and explain in easy to understand language what DNA is, the types of DNA used in genealogy, and the application of DNA testing in your family history research. To learn more, click here.
The Family Link Network Expo 2 is co-sponsored by:
Register today by clicking here. Remember discount code expo215 for a 15% discount.
Salt Lake City -- James Sorenson loved his 1999 trip to Norway retracing the steps of distant ancestors. When he got home, he invited geneticist Scott Woodward to his office and told him: "Let's analyze all of Norway's DNA!"
The scientist gulped. Both men recall that Dr. Woodward stared across a conference table and declared: "That would cost $500 million. I don't think you can afford it."
Mr. Sorenson shot back: "Oh, yes I can."
The 83-year-old entrepreneur is a billionaire several times over thanks to his development of plastic catheters and heart-monitoring equipment plus a half-century of wise investments. Mr. Sorenson ended up dropping the Norway idea, but he did so to pursue an even greater ambition. He wants to dominate the fast-growing field of connecting people with their roots through genetic testing.
Sorenson scientists are popping up everywhere from California to Cameroon to build a database of human DNA. So far, they have convinced 50,000 people from nearly 100 ethnic groups to hand over DNA samples and family lineages.
The data belong to the nonprofit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. But the man who made a killing on Utah real estate and Abbott Laboratories stock also sees a glint of profit potential in his latest obsession. A Sorenson company called Relative Genetics Inc. is selling tests for $50 and up that help people figure out where they fit in the database -- and sometimes connect with specific ancestors who lived hundreds of years ago.
New technology is setting off a genealogy gold rush inconceivable in an earlier era when people had to rely on old courthouse records and half-remembered family lore. Scientists now have several ways of using DNA to determine ancestry. The simplest involves the Y chromosome, which is found only in men and accumulates small changes over the centuries. If men have nearly identical Y chromosomes, it means they share a recent ancestor going up the male line. Another method uses mitochondrial DNA, which passes from a mother to her children. It can be used to determine ancestry through the female line.
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Relative Genetics announces the release of a new high resolution Y chromosome test. 43 markers yielding up to 44 allele values will take your Family Group study one step further, possibly even providing resolution between previously indistinguishable family lineages. While the 26 marker (26 allele value) test is still a valuable tool in the genealogical toolbox for lineage establishment, the 43 marker test is a more sophisticated tool providing a refined picture of the relationships of the participants, thus enhancing the genealogies and defining relationships.
The Lineage Establisher™--43 marker test further defines clusterings within your family group. It is most useful when you have specific hypotheses, or are trying to distinguish lineages within your family group. If you want a high resolution test to improve the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) probability between genetic cousins and common ancestor(s), choose this test.
Click here to learn more about the Lineage Establisher™.
Click here for a complete product listing.