I searched and did not see this and I thought /r/frugal would be very interested since it saves you $50+ if you were already going to buy a DNA test.
The University of Michigan is running a research study called "Genes for Good" in which participants fill out some surveys (35 surveys minimum, most taking less than 5 minutes to complete) and then take a DNA spit test (similar to 23 and Me, Ancestry.com, etc. tests) and receive their raw genetic data to download and keep.
So what's the catch?
You should read the consent form yourself because I might be missing something that is vitally important to you. It's only 5 pages so no excuses.
But here's a brief overview of things you need to know:
The most important thing (and biggest deal breaker to most) is that you must agree for your DNA to be frozen and stored indefinitely by the researchers. The next thing is that you agree that they can release your DNA and de-identified data to qualified scientists from reputable institutions for further research. This is another deal breaker for most people. In addition, you must use a Facebook account to complete the surveys but you can create a fake one if you want, just make sure you use your real name and address inside the app so they can send your DNA spit kit to you. Take a day or two to think about these things if you're not sure.
If these things are acceptable to you, you can sign up for the research study here: http://ift.tt/1RzNUqu
Here's what to expect:
- You must complete 15 health history surveys and 20 daily tracking surveys to qualify for the spit kit.
- You can complete all 15 health history surveys at once. There are more than 20 to choose from so if you don't like a topic, just skip it and try another one. Some are very detailed, others are very quick and straightforward.
- There are 8 daily tracking surveys available per day: Sleep, alcohol use, cold and flu, physical activity, weight, stress, mood and anxiety, and pain. If you complete all 8 every day, it will take 3 days to be eligible for the spit kit. Each of these surveys is very quick and simple to complete.
- You will need to be patient! Spit kids are being shipped out by the batch, hundreds at a time, so just be patient and keep checking your mailbox.
- Once your kit is returned and received, be ready to wait several months for results. Kits are coming in just as fast as they're going out so be prepared for a long wait. My husband returned his kit in early April and received his results in mid-July.
- The results that you receive won't look very useful but you can download your raw genetic data which will tell you a lot more!
How to use your results:
- The first thing you should do when you get your "results are ready" email is download the data. You'll need to request a code, then a download link, and another code. It will take a few hours to complete all these steps.
- Once you have your results, unzip the files and save in a location that you can remember
- If you are interested in finding genetic relatives and/or seeing your genetic ancestry (where your ancestors came from), you'll want to check out GEDMatch.com (more below) which is free.
- If you are interested in genetic health results, you'll want to check out Promethease.com (more below) which is $5 per report.
How to use GEDmatch.com:
1. Find your file named GFG9_filtered_imputed_genotypes_noY_noMT_23andMe.txt (exact numbering may vary for your file)
2. Zip this file, feel free to rename it whatever you want
3. Upload to GEDmatch
4. You might not get a success message. If you get an error message or if the success message never comes up, wait a few minutes and then open another tab with the GEDmatch dashboard and check for a kit number. If you have a kit number, the upload succeeded. If not, try again.
5. Wait 12-24 hours for the kit to "batch" and be ready to use
The one-to-many matches option will show you potential genetic relatives - people who have uploaded their kits and match closely to you. The one-to-one option allows you to input someone else's kit number to see if you're related. This is a fun option if you have friends who have uploaded kits. The admixture (heritage) option will allow you to find potential ancestral proportions). There are a lot of different options using various methodologies, don't take any of them too seriously but they will give you a basic idea of what heritages you might have.
Here's an example of my own report using the Eurogenes K13 report: http://ift.tt/2vnskEw
The GEDCOM options are only for those who have genealogy trees to upload. These can help you determine if a potential genetic match on the site is actually related to you.
How to use Promethease:
1. Find your file named GFG8_filtered_unphased_genotypes_vcf.txt (exact numbering may vary for your file)
2. Upload to Promethease and pay the $5 fee
3. Wait 10-20 minutes for the file to upload and your report to be ready
4. Download your report for future reference
Promethease is really easy to use, you can see a sample report here to see if it's something that you will find useful. Each reported gene and effect are linked to a snpedia.com page which (usually) will tell you a little more about the gene and sometimes it will link to applicable studies. You can also research the gene yourself if it's one that is concerning or you don't understand what the report is saying.
I think I have all the bases covered but feel free to ask any questions you have. If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find the answer for you. I'm not affiliated with the University of Michigan or the research study in any way. I'm just a participant who wanted to spread the word. I am also not affiliated with any other site mentioned in this post.
July 31, 2017 at 10:44PM
