April 12, 2006

Home DNA Tests?

Saw this article linked over on The Corner this morning. It's like science fiction some days! And how they're being used in some cases makes you wonder:

Alan Moldawer's adopted twins, Matt and Andrew, had always thought of themselves as white. But when it came time for them to apply to college last year, Mr. Moldawer thought it might be worth investigating the origins of their slightly tan-tinted skin, with a new DNA kit that he had heard could determine an individual's genetic ancestry.

The results, designating the boys 9 percent Native American and 11 percent northern African, arrived too late for the admissions process. But Mr. Moldawer, a business executive in Silver Spring, Md., says they could be useful in obtaining financial aid.

"Naturally when you're applying to college you're looking at how your genetic status might help you," said Mr. Moldawer, who knows that the twins' birth parents are white, but has little information about their extended family. "I have three kids going now, and you can bet that any advantage we can take we will."

Seems to me that stuff like this should be another nail in the coffin of racial quotas. One can only hope.

Posted by Ithildin at April 12, 2006 8:53 AM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE

What a bunch of BULLSHITE.

BULLSHITE.

The part of DNA that divides "races" is less than 1/1000 of a % of our DNA. And it's not just a single gene or a group of genes. It may also have to do with gene on gene interaction, which a simple DNA test wouldn't touch.

I call Shenanigans. This is just a product that wastes people's money.

Posted by: caltechgirl at April 12, 2006 10:31 AM

The native-american tribe managers have already gotten together and released a statement saying DNA alone is not sufficient to get someone in, in response to a sudden rush of people discovering a few percent native material and trying to claim casino money.

Racial quotas? The university I go to has those. Oh, officially they dont... officially, they are completly neutral. But then, why do they ask for ethnic group on the application form? And why, within the student population, do the minorities form the majorities? Its an open secret.

Posted by: Suricou Raven at April 12, 2006 12:37 PM

CaltechGirl: The tests dont look at functional differences. They look for specific markers which are common in one region, rare in another. I am not an expert, but I am under the impression these markers dont code for anything.

They are not perfectly accurate. They also dont actually specify an ethnic group at all - they specify a geographic area. The native-american, for example, is fairly accurate. They were reproductively isolated from everywhere else for a long time, very distinctive DNA. But others are vague. There is a 'european', an 'african'... but no 'middle eastern.' Australia is absent together, being almost entirely immigrant. The boundries are arbitary.

The tests are just a curiosity really. Anyone who knows a little about them will disregard their results. They are only of use when trying to convince the scientifically ignorant.

Posted by: Suricou Raven at April 12, 2006 4:35 PM