Richard Scheller, PhD

TL;DR

23andMe is a genetic testing company that analyzes over 600,000 snips and provides health, carrier status, and ancestry reports to over a million genotyped customers, while also conducting research for potential drug targets.

Transcript

during that disaster of a basketball game last night I emailed Peter and said that you know I looked at the topic for our session and my talk has nothing to do with that and he said that don't worry about it just give it anyway and I'll ask you some questions afterwards so we'll see how this goes um I think many of you know about 23andme you can ei... Read More

Key Insights

• 🐕‍🦺 23andMe offers genetic testing services that provide comprehensive reports on carrier status, ancestry, wellness, and traits.
• 👻 The company has a vast database of genotyped customers, allowing for extensive research and analysis.
• 🎨 23andMe employs experts in survey methodology to design meaningful and informative questions for collecting phenotypic data.
• 👨‍🔬 The company is actively involved in research initiatives to identify potential drug targets and study various diseases.
• ❓ The ability for individuals to download and explore their own genetic data provides a unique and personalized experience.
• 💁 23andMe's reports undergo FDA scrutiny and the company ensures that individuals understand the information provided.
• 🏈 The demographic distribution of 23andMe customers is diverse, including European, Latino, and African-American populations.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does 23andMe collect and analyze genetic data?

23andMe collects genetic data by analyzing over 600,000 snips and imputing to 15 million snips. They have over a million genotyped customers and collect extensive phenotypic data. This data is used to provide FDA-approved reports on carrier status, ancestry, wellness, and traits.

Q: What type of phenotypic data does 23andMe collect?

23andMe collects data on diagnoses, medication usage, family histories, behaviors, geographic location, personality traits, and environmental exposures. The company employs PhDs in social science to design survey questions that are meaningful and important for understanding various phenotypes.

Q: Can individuals access their own genetic data from 23andMe?

Yes, individuals can download their own genetic data from 23andMe and use it as they wish. They also provide tools and reports that help individuals explore and benefit from their genetics, including tracing inheritance and finding relatives.

Q: How does 23andMe contribute to research for potential drug targets?

23andMe conducts GWAS (Genome-wide Association Studies) and feeWAS (Phenotypic wide Association Studies) to identify potential drug targets and study various diseases. They have successfully reproduced over 180 genetic associations and actively engage their customers in research initiatives.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• 23andMe allows individuals to order a kit or visit retail stores to spit into a tube and send it for analysis, which measures over 600,000 snips and imputes to 15 million snips.

• The company has over a million genotyped customers, collects over two million data points per week, and has extensive phenotypic data including diagnoses, medication usage, family histories, and more.

• 23andMe provides FDA-approved reports on carrier status, ancestry, wellness, and traits, and also allows individuals to download their own data and provides tools for genetic exploration.