DNA
ancestry
just
a
click
away
Genetic
analysis
making
family
trees
more
insightful,
expert
says
By
Alisha
Randhawa,
The
Ubyssey
(University
of
British
Columbia)
VANCOUVER
(CUP)
-A
new
website
allows
people
to
track
their
genetic
heritage
as
far
back
as
150,000
years
ago.
DNAancestryproject.
com
was
put
up
last
November
by
Genebase
Systems
and
is
sponsored
by
Genetrack
Biolabs,
Inc.
It
lets
users
order
"participation
kits"
that
give
them
easy
access
to
DNA
testing
and
an
extensive
online
database
of
other
people's
genetic
information.
A
cheek
swab
is
included
in
the
kit
as
a
means
to
get
a
personal
DNA
sample
from
the
user,
which
is
then
sent
to
Genetrack.
The
user
is
then
sent
their
DNA
results,
which
they
can
share
with
other
members
of
the
site
or
keep
to
themselves.
"One
could
question
whether
the
extent
and
quality
of
the
information
that
Genetrack
can
provide
will
be
any
better
tool
for
genealogists
than
the
traditional
methods
of
searching
public
or
private
registries,"
said
George
Mackie,
professor
of
biochemistry
and
molecular
biology
at
the
University
of
British
Columbia.
The
Vancouver
Public
Library
offers
numerous
programs
and
materials
that
utilize
a
more
traditional
approach.
According
to
Janet
Tomkins,
a
genealogy
librarian,
the
library
has
"an
extensive
collection
of
resources
including
how-to
manuals,
books
on
genealogy
software,
and
data
such
as
cemetery
transcriptions,
census
records
and
a
subscription
database
called
Ancestry
Library
Edition,
offering
access
to
digitized
images
of
original
records
from
many
countries,"
in
addition
to
monthly
workshops.
"Both
approaches
are
worthwhile
and
interesting,"
she
said,
although
"to
find
out
who
the
ancestors
are
.
.
.
requires
digging
through
documentary
records
and
interviewing
family
members,
working
backwards,
building
up
the
picture,
one
generation
at
a
time."
Tomkins
explained
that
"serious
genealogists
corroborate
and
document
all
the
information
in
their
family
tree
to
build
up
an
authentic
picture,"
however,
"after
identifying
possible
relations
through
traditional
research,
DNA
testing
could
be
used
to
confirm
the
connection."
David
W.
Brown,
a
member
of
the
International
Society
of
Genetic
Genealogists,
has
found
that
combining
the
traditional
approach
with
DNA
testing
is
an
effective
strategy.
"DNA
testing
has
provided
many
exciting
breakthroughs
for
those
trying
to
establish
their
family
history,"
but,
"you
have
to
use
traditional
research
together
with
it,"
he
said.
DNA
testing
is
a
huge
leap
ahead,
said
Brown,
and
is
extremely
helpful
when
paired
with
"relative
genetics
and
family
trees
which
offer
tremendous
databases."
He
explained
that
as
the
companies
expand
their
own
databases,
users
will
have
access
to
more
insightful
results.
"All
of
this
testing
is
based
on
comparisons
to
other
results
and
there
is
nothing
to
it
unless
people
can
make
comparisons,"
Brown
said.
"We've
used
DNA
testing
a
lot,"
Brown
said,
"and
it
is
revolutionary.
It
helps
to
break
through
brick
walls."
The
DNA
Ancestry
Project
site
has
been
experiencing
a
lot
of
success
even
though
it
has
only
been
up
and
running
for
a
few
months.
Over
a
quarter-million
participants
have
joined
from
all
over
the
world.
5
College
of
New
Caledonia
-
Ion
fiOKBSTS
Of-
CHMQt
Reflect
Renew
Rejoice
ACCC
2008
Association
of
Canadian
Community
Colleges
(ACCC)
2008
Annual
Conference
Plan
to
join
us
next
spring
as
the
College
of
New
Caledonia
hosts
over
800
delegates
from
Canada
and
around
the
world.
This
conference
will
be
an
international
meeting
place
for
all
colleges
and
institutes
to
share
their
success
stories
and
help
shape
a
new
direction
for
the
future!
Sessions
and
workshops
for
students
will
be
scheduled
shortly.
Please
contact
Barb
Old
at
562-2131
ext.
5591
for
more
information.
May
25-27,
2008