What Can You Actually Learn from Your Genome?

Genetic tests can give you advice about what lifestyle, diet, and level of exercise are best for you. But you should take those suggestions with a grain of salt, because, when it comes to our bodies, our genes aren’t so much an open book, as the world’s biggest crossword puzzle.

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[limalicious]

My mom is a retired nurse. When she was a nursing student, her very first patient was a teenager with Huntington's Disease who was part of a study at NIH. He was already displaying symptoms of the disease, knew he was going to die, and was willing to let scientists study him in hopes that they might learn something to save future generations with the disease. It was the first time my mom realized how you strong you have to be a medical professional, because she couldn't break down and cry around a young man only a few years younger than her as his body broke down and died.

[Sciencerely]

As a stem cell scientist, I really appreciate the advances in life sciences in the early 21st century! For instance, DNA sequencing costs decreased over 180 000-fold over the last 15 years! Currently, there is also an international project which aims to characterise the total gene expression of each cell type (!) in the human body! We sometimes acquire huge datasets in single experiments and, although this often makes work a lot more challenging, we finally get closer and closer in grasping the concepts of life!

[pandekuri]

I took a GeneSight test for medications. Found out I have a variation of CYP2D6 that is a “poor metabolizer”, making me very sensitive to CYP2D6 substrates which are most anti-depressants and opioid medications. It saved me the grief of experiencing adverse side effects and finding medications that would be good for me.
Genetic testing is the future of personalized medicine.

[PaulPaulPaulson]

The new fashion trend: Jeans that make up about 60-80% of someone's height

[InaBlueNutshell]

I love what Sci-Show and in general vlogbrothers are doing for the world. Maybe this is a little unrelated to the content of this video but I feel like information like this is so important that I'm just grateful the world has both of them putting it out to the world.

[Eneov]

I freaking love the work you and the scishow team do Hank. You've been a major source of knowledge and learning for me, for years.

[-subscriberswithahammerad]

biology teacher- thats right, you can actually LEARN from biology and the human genome

[sooskca]

Props for not accepting a deal with 23andme, yo.

[GANTZ]

The SNP test point was huge and yet such a small portion of this video. The huge difference in information you can get between these tests is critical to understanding their limitations. As sequencing becomes easier to access this will be less of a problem. Also explaining the methods that tests like 23andMe use, by reading their white papers, would really demonstrate how these conclusions are less genetic and more association by similarities.

[tomsadler]

I'm not a gnelf or a gnoblin I'm a genome

[puzzleperson]

Nice breakdown of such a complicated and nuanced science! It has been an exciting field with the advancements in technology allowing for better understanding of the multifaceted helix.

[drakosmajor]

There are tests like the one mention for medications that also work for antidepressants, and can help your doctor make it easier to find the right medication for you with potentially less trial and error!! It's called a gene sight test! I recommend it if you are having a hard time finding one that works well for you!!!!

[StretchyDeath]

Wish you'd also distinguished between whole genome sequencing vs other types like microarray genotyping

[youtubeviewer]

"What can we learn from our genome?" ...well studies have shown that approx half the personality we have is the result of our genetics. So in that sense we should be able to learn A LOT. Wish you guys touched on that a bit. Snpedia is a fun site to read up on known genes to which a dna test can show if you have any of them. Anyway love the show guys, keep up the great work

[PaleGhost]

What I learned from my genome test is that I'm not human! I'm so proud to not be apart of this community.

[jammbbs]

I was genetically tested to see how medication effect me and I found out alot of stuff like why I woke up way to early on my open heart surgery and the also during spine surgery why I always had to take such a large dose of pain meds to get pain relief and so much more

[starkeclipse]

I would really like to see a scishow video on the ethical/privacy concerns with different genetic companies. I've heard from acquaintances in the insurance field that companies are looking towards genetics in the future. And I believe 23andme hooked up with GSK for medication. There are so many benefits to large DNA samples, but there are also many risks. I feel like you should at the very least add a warning to consider buying life insurance *before* getting a test like this if Huntington's Disease or a similar disease is moderately likely to show up...

[PyroDesu]

"Also, what if the condition you're studying is actually multiple conditions that look similar? How do you control for that?"


Story of my life...

[nla]

Can we have an episode on carriers of genetic diseases, different ways of carrying a genetic mutation, and difference between carrying the gene vs developing the actual disease or disorder?

[Delemaroth]

I wish my professors were as engaging and well spoken as the SciShow Hosts. How much money must we throw at you guys to make SciShow University a thing? Id study at SSU.