Wow - this service is over $250 from several Genetic research companies! I wish they were doing it here. For more info on this, do a web search for "genealogy DNA" By all means, do it. -Ben At 12:32 PM -0500 11/10/00, Ron Hatton wrote: >Thought maybe some of you would be interested in new things that have come >along. I received this thru the Anne Arundel Co.Md.Genealogy rootsweb. > >Ron > > > >> Dear fellow genealogists on the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Genealogy >> Listserv, >> >> On behalf of the Suitland Maryland Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of >> Latter-day Saints, I would like to personally invite each of you to a very >> special event: An opportunity to have your personal DNA analyzed for >genetic >> markers indicating the homelands, tribes, and clans from which your >> ancestors originated. The event will be held on Saturday morning, >November >> 18, 2000 at 9:00 A.M. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, >> 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, Maryland (Beltway Exit 7-B). >> >> I have prepared an announcement regarding the event, below, which provides >> more information. I hope each of you will come to hear Dr. Scott Woodward, >a >> world-renowned geneticist, explain this new technology and take the >> opportunity to have your unique genetic code preserved and analyzed for >> clues to your ancestors' origins. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Cole Goodwin >> Family History Consultant >> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints >> >> PS: If you have any questions or would like to contact me, please e-mail >me >> at [email protected] or telephone (301) 952-8336. >> >> ================================= >> ================================= >> Scientists Coming to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in >Camp >> Springs, Md. To Collect DNA to Link All People Together Into One Great >> Genetic World Family Tree >> ================================= >> >> Camp Springs, Maryland--The Suitland Maryland Stake of The Church of Jesus >> Christ of Latter-day Saints will host a special morning fireside meeting >> with Brigham Young University (BYU) Professor Scott Woodward, Ph.D. and >his >> researchers in the BYU Molecular Genealogy Research Project (MGRP). The >> researchers will collect DNA samples and family trees from the general >> public to become part of the first genetic world family tree. The >fireside >> will be held on Saturday morning, November 18, 2000 at 9:00 a.m. at the >> Suitland Md. Stake Center, 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, Maryland. Also >> speaking at the fireside will be Megan Smolenyak, author of the >best-selling >> book, In Search of Our Ancestors. >> >> All are invited to attend the fireside. However, only those 18 years of >age >> and older may participate in the study itself. After completing a consent >> form, participants will have a small blood sample drawn from them and are >> asked to submit at least a four-generation pedigree chart showing the >names >> of their ancestors along with their birthplaces and birth dates. Those >who >> do not have a completed four-generation pedigree chart are urged to visit >> one of the many family history centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of >> Latter-day Saints in this area. Collecting individual samples of blood for >> DNA analysis takes only about ten minutes. The fireside and participation >in >> the study are offered at no charge to the general public. >> >> The visit of the BYU researchers is part of a large-scale study to >construct >> a correlated genetic and genealogical database. Molecular genealogy fuses >> genealogy and genetics together and the resulting database is designed to >be >> a valuable resource for genealogical investigation. >> >> In practice, molecular genealogy links individuals together in family >trees >> based on the unique identification of genetic markers. This is >accomplished >> by using the information encoded in the genetic material, known as DNA, of >> an individual or of a population to determine the relatedness of > > individuals, families, tribal groups, and populations. Pedigrees (family >> trees) based on genetic markers can reveal relationships not detectable in >> genealogies based only on names, written records, or oral traditions. The >> fact that DNA is inherited and that each individual is the product of his >> progenitors means that DNA can be used to create unique identifications >and, >> also, to identify members of the same family, the same clan or tribal >group, >> or the same population. >> >> This DNA analysis can prove especially helpful to those whose ancestry >lacks >> surname identification or for whom records were not created, as is often >the >> case with those of African, of Native American and of Scandinavian >ancestry. >> In addition to holding out the possibility of eventually helping to find >the >> person's ancestral homes through genetic analysis, participation in the >> project confers additional benefits, to include the following: >> >>  Preservation of each participant's unique genetic code for his or >> her descendants; >>  Possible cross matching of participants' DNA to determine >> relatedness; >>  Verifying existing genealogical records; and >>  A genetic discrimination between closely related individuals or >> those sharing the same name. >> >> Phase One has the BYU researchers traveling from country to country >> collecting 100,000 blood samples for DNA from 500 worldwide populations. >> This phase may take several years. Once all of the genetic samples are >> collected, the project will move into Phase Two of their research by >> creating a private database in order to analyze and to record the genetic >> markers for all ethnic, tribal, familial and geographic groups. >> >> The research team guarantees the privacy of the genetic information >> gathered, which is protected by both state and federal laws and protected >in >> a high-security facility with access by only the project head. >> >> More information on the Molecular Genealogy Research Project, may be >> obtained from their their official web site at >> http:/molecular-genealogy.byu.edu/. >> >> Incidentally, local organizers are seeking additional medical personnel >> (such as physicians and nurses) who have training and experience in >drawing >> blood samples (phlebotomy). Such personnel should contact Cole Goodwin, >> accordingly: >> >> Cole Goodwin, 8534 Biscayne Court, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772-5164 >> TEL: 301-952-8336 (home); 202-777-2649, ext. 7963 (work and fax) >> E-mail: [email protected] >> >> The Suitland Maryland Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of >> Latter-day Saints is located at 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, which is >> located just off Exit 7-B of the Capitol Beltway around Washington, DC. >> >> To learn more about the BYU Molecular Genealogy Project, please visit >their >> official website, as listed below: >> >> BYU Molecular Genealogy Research Group >> http://molecular-genealogy.byu.edu/ -- <http://tunnels.tripod.com/> - My Old-As-Hell Home Page <http://freepages.sf.rootsweb.com/~bhines/> - My newish Genealogy Pages