Jul 27 2009
Mutations are bad, right?
Not always. Some DNA changes are completely neutral. That’s how the human genome came to have so many variations. And some mutations are actually advantageous.
A case in point is the PCSK9 gene. So-called “loss-of-function” mutations that prevent the protein encoded by this gene from functioning properly actually lead to lower cholesterol levels.
Researchers [...]
Dec 15 2008
Genome-wide association studies, the research projects that connect SNPs to different traits and conditions (and fuel much of the 23andMe Health and Traits feature), focus on fairly common genetic variations that generally have small effects on risk.
But critics of this type of research charge that studying common variation is of little value because it misses [...]
Dec 08 2008
SNPwatch gives you the latest news about research linking various traits and conditions to individual genetic variations. These studies are exciting because they offer a glimpse into how genetics may affect our bodies and health; but in most cases, more work is needed before this research can provide information of value to individuals. For that [...]
