Hi All Has the time come for two different types of DNA tests ? One for those looking for family and ancestry and one for health and lifestyle. The newer chips seem to not give the information family history researchers need. Mike Fisher an older family history searcher in Droitwich UK

Hi Mike I also classify myself as an older researcher in the UK, having turned 70 this year. It is not really possible to dissect out DNA analytical results the way you might ideally like. You can only measure what is on the individual customised Chips each company makes. How you get each company's results onto a common platform is one challenge faced (GEDmatch, etc.). Interpreting those results is a separate set of questions. It is always pretty difficult to nail down your phrase "the information what family researchers need". That can vary quite a lot, depending on each person's previous family history and the countries from which their ancestors came. With autosomal DNA, you are always treading around in the general healthcare area, no matter what can be claimed by the DNA testing companies. Whether you want to invest any of your intellectual effort to go there, and to try to understand what they might claim, is a separate question. Apart from measuring the STR Repeats on the Y-Chromosome, any other DNA change might affect gene transcription. Most of those changes will have no appreciable or observable biological effect. But a small number might and can. We are very fortunate in England in having such a wealth of documentary resources before 1837, which can enable us to research events which are the envy of folk abroad. So what the English want from an autosomal DNA test can be different from what others want. I would point out that now there are about 100 DNA videos taken from Who Do You Think You Are and Genetic Genealogy Ireland, 2013-2017, covering all aspects of DNA testing. But if you are like my wife, and hardly ever watch YouTube, they will all pass you by. Brian -----Original Message----- From: GENEALOGY-DNA [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael Fisher Sent: 31 October 2017 13:25 To: [email protected] Subject: [DNA] DNA tests for family history Hi All Has the time come for two different types of DNA tests ? One for those looking for family and ancestry and one for health and lifestyle. The newer chips seem to not give the information family history researchers need. Mike Fisher an older family history searcher in Droitwich UK