Category Archives: DNA

Our DNA can’t be patented

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Supreme Court says no to Myriad In the late 1990s, the United States Patent Office issued patents to a Utah company on two human genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2, genes that — if present — cause a significantly elevated risk … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Cases, DNA | 13 Comments

DNA: news from Burbank

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Transfers and interfaces So there were two big topics of discussion dealing with DNA at the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree that ends today in Burbank. One was changes — updates, interface upgrades and promises of further changes — at … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 11 Comments

DNA Day in Burbank

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

DNA Day a smashing success If anybody ever tries to tell the organizers of a major genealogy event that there aren’t enough people interested in genetic genealogy to warrant a high number of special sessions on the subject, The Legal … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA, General | 7 Comments

DNA privacy sky STILL not falling

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Maryland v. King: no big thing It was all over the news yesterday. The Supreme Court is going to allow the police to take our DNA! They’re going to know everything about us! Um… not exactly. Not unless, that is, … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Cases, DNA | 14 Comments

Making AncestryDNA useful

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Great tool Sometimes The Legal Genealogist is the last to know. But oh boy… what a wonderful tool was sent my way last night! And AncestryDNA users who don’t have it are really missing out. A DNA cousin who found … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 19 Comments

Who’s the mama?

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Verifying Aunt Mom Reader Linda Bell Pollard has a major mystery in her family history. “My father, now deceased, was told he was adopted,” Linda writes. “After he passed away, a member of his adoptive family told me that he … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 3 Comments

What AncestryDNA doesn’t provide

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

On beyond AncestryDNA Reader Ida French is having trouble figuring out how third-party utilities like Gedmatch.com can help in using autosomal test results, and particularly those from AncestryDNA. She writes: I am still having a hard time understanding how exactly … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 17 Comments

DNA Day at Jamboree

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Last day for early bird registration There’s something very new, and very exciting, at this year’s Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in June. An entire day devoted to DNA and its use in family history. And today is the last day … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA, General | 2 Comments

Going raw and banking DNA

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Downloading Ancestry’s raw data During Tuesday night’s webinar on autosomal DNA testing, sponsored by the Association of Professional Genealogists, one question came up that needed a little longer answer than the format allowed:       “How do you download your raw data … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 6 Comments

DNA webinar tonight!

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Judy G. Russell

Tonight: free APG webinar on autosomal DNA One last chance for the procrastinators to register: Tonight, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (8:00 Central, 7:00 Mountain and 6:00 Pacific), I’ll be presenting a webinar sponsored by … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 5 Comments