As I still see quite a few postings inquiring about the DNA project I thought I would pass along some information as I am still receiving a lot of it. This project is full steam ahead in one of my family lines. This is still my least favorite subject but thought the info is worth sharing for those who are interested in. Some of you may have watched the program, a NOVA special presentation on PBS and hosted by ABC Nightline correspondent Robert Krulwich, called "Cracking the Code of Life." I watched only a small portion of this program but understand it will be available by visiting NOVA's Web site, "Cracking the Code of Life" at pbs.org/nova/genome. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>In cooperation with Brighmam Young University where they are running a project called the Molecular Genealogy Project in which they are analyzing how to use DNA to match up families for genealogical purposes, the family research community is running a special case study. (At this time there are about 18 known special cases for different family surnames.) The objective of this study is to create a data base that has information on the DNA patterns for the various families on a world wide scale. WE hope to use this data base to help researchers, (such as yourself) find the pattern that matches their family line so they can overcome the 'brick walls' that so many run into. This will be a multi-phase project. The initial phase is to collect a number of samples from males who are known to be descended from each of a set of specific early colonial or English families to establish the patterns to match later participants against. For now we are focusing on the males, but the females will come later and we will be open to all descendant researchers and those cousins that are strong armed into giving blood by their researcher family members. It holds a lot of promise, but there are no guarantees. For example. If we find that two families say from Connecticut actually come from a common ancestor, it will be more challenging to sort their descendants out from each other. Enter the BYU study. They are looking at far more DNA markers than any of the commercial efforts. The objective is to be able to identify the small changes from generations to generation and be able to identify specific ancestors for a family members. Again, no guarantees. <<<<<<<< This particular project is moving right along as they started testing sites April 20 and will run through June 16 in several large cities including Boston and in Canada and Hawaii. They are having trouble finding enough male s bearing the family name. Example--Family surname they have identified 24 branches of this family. They can only test at this time 4 males from each branch. (More daughters than sons and still they are testing the females LATER!) At this time to participate a pedigree has to be turned in, registered by the overseer before they will be accepted for testing. No just showing up at a testing site. They are working on a kit to send out to those too far away to participate--The blood would have to be drawn by a professional and expressed to a testing center in the proper time limits. OBJECT: TO ESTABLISH THE Y-CHROMOSOME DNA markers as a baseline from which they will start matching other participants as they come into the project. For a family to participate it doesn't look like a simple thing. Looks like they have to register the family as a special case with a center doing this research. Each family apparently has to have an over seer or coordinator and do the required things to participate and be accepted. Maybe this gives a little more insight into this. Rose Zella