Tag: "genetic"
Redesigning Life
All living things pretty much use the same language to read their genes. That is about to change.
Post on Aug 15, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Dominant isn't Always Common
A common genetic misconception is that dominant means common. Here Dr. Starr explains why dominant and recessive doesn't matter for how common a trait is.
Post on Jun 06, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr
Making Bisexual Mice
Serotonin plays a big role in sexual preference in mice. Maybe it plays a big role in people too.
Post on Mar 28, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr
Ghostbusters of the Forest
Because clones aren't always the same, Stanford geneticists have a pretty good shot at figuring out what makes a redwood albino using DNA sequencing.
Post on Nov 22, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Who's Your Daddy?
What became clear to me at a recent meeting I attended is that most everyone is going to have his or her DNA read in the near future. Another thing that became obvious is that scientists aren’t doing enough thinking about what impact this will have on society.
Post on Sep 27, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Milky Mutations
Lactose intolerance is the norm for mammals. Humans are one of the few animals where a sizable minority of adults are lactose tolerant.
Post on Sep 14, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
More Transparent Genetic Testing
A few minor tweaks to genetic testing companies' websites could make their offerings more transparent to the public and the FDA.
Post on Aug 31, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Direct to consumer (DTC) genetic tests: Here Comes the FDA
Direct to consumer (DTC) genetic tests are taking a beating right now from the FDA. Part of the problem has to do with some snake oil salesmen contaminating the whole field. But part of it has to do with the data that is available right now and how it is presented.
Post on Aug 16, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Here Comes the FDA
Over the last few years, a bunch of companies have sprouted up that offer genetic testing over the Internet. The most controversial of these are the ones that offer consumers the chance to predict their future health risks.
Post on Aug 02, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
A Catch-23
If the FDA wants to regulate consumer genetic testing companies, there is no way that they will be able to make a profit.
Post on Jun 21, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Go To College, Get A Genetic Test
UC Berkeley has decided to offer its 5500 incoming freshmen of the College of Letters and Sciences the chance at a free genetic test. And all hell has broken loose.
Post on Jun 04, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
What if the Geneticists are Wrong?
What if most people or families had unique DNA differences that led to their disease? Then scientists have been going about finding the causes of genetic disease in the wrong way.
Post on May 10, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Finding Fifth Cousins
Someone contacted me via 23andMe and said that we may be fifth cousins and asked if I would like to compare genomes. Ok I thought, why not?
Post on Mar 29, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
23andMe: Not Just for Fun Anymore
23andMe has gone away from being a place where you get your DNA tested for coolness’ sake to one with a focus on health and/or ancestry. With this change has come a much-improved product for people interested in what their DNA tells them about their carrier status for a variety of genetic diseases.
Post on Mar 15, 2010 by Dr. Barry Starr
Who Owns My DNA?
If a DNA testing company gets bought out, what happens to their customers' DNA? Image by Molly Eyres. / CC BY 2.0 One niggling worry I had when I decided to get some genetic testing from 23andMe was what would happen to my DNA if the company failed. By all accounts, 23andMe is a very [...]
Post on Nov 23, 2009 by Dr. Barry Starr
An Incomplete for 23andMe's Carrier Testing
What can genetic testing tell you? A while back I took a 23andMe genetic test that looks at over 600,000 different spots on my DNA. The last few blogs I have been going over my genetic test results with an eye on how useful they are. And how well the results are explained. Last blog [...]
Post on Oct 26, 2009 by Dr. Barry Starr
