Category: DNA Testing & Analysis

Toolbox Genomics offers a range of panels, each designed to provide insights into specific health areas using genetic testing.

Epigenetics Panel (EPI): This panel focuses on understanding the aging process in four areas: eyes, memory, hearing, and biological age. It also includes an inflammation score calculated by the activity of inflammation-related genes.

Pharmacogenomics Panel: The panel helps understand how genetics may affect medications’ efficacy and side effects. It mainly focuses on those identified as actionable by the FDA.

Respiratory Resilience: This panel identifies genetic predispositions to conditions or nutrient deficiencies that might affect respiratory health and viral susceptibility.

Nutrition Optimization: Focuses on uncovering potential nutrient deficiencies, metabolism of substances like alcohol and caffeine, and identifying food intolerances.

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Detox Panel: Aims to provide insights into issues like weight loss challenges, fatigue, mood irregularities, skin problems, and detoxification of environmental toxins.

Endurance Performance: Tailored for endurance athletes, this panel looks at muscle fiber types, nutritional needs, recovery capabilities, and injury susceptibility.

Health Enrichment: Suitable for those new to genetic testing, covering a broad range of areas like workout recommendations, nutritional deficiencies, sleep types, exercise injury susceptibility, and metabolism of alcohol and caffeine.

Hormone Panel: Focuses on understanding issues related to weight management, menstrual cycle irregularities, depression, hormone imbalances, and libido.

Weight Management: Designed to assist in maintaining a healthy weight by analyzing how different macronutrients are processed and identifying predispositions to obesity and eating behaviors.

Genomepatri Heritage offers insights into an individual’s ethnicity composition through SNP mapping, utilizing a database of over twenty thousand records. This test is the first in India to provide detailed ethnicity composition, especially for Indian sub-populations, exploring the cultural, ethnic, and geographical diversity that contributes to one’s genetic heritage.

Noteworthy features of Genomepatri Heritage include:

• It is the first report to focus on Indian ancestry, offering detailed insights into indigenous ethnicities and native sub-populations.
• The test utilizes a robust and comprehensive reference database encompassing global regions, ensuring high data precision and privacy.
• For those opting for Whole Genome Sequencing, it offers the unique feature of designing one’s ancestral family tree, allowing individuals to trace their true roots and ancestral migration patterns.
• Participants receive a breakdown of the components of their DNA that are shared with global populations.
• The test provides information on the locations where ancestors lived, helping individuals understand the inheritance of unique traits.
• Discovering one’s lineage can spark curiosity about various ethnicities, potentially leading to interests such as traveling to ancestral lands.
• The sample required for Genomepatri Heritage testing is saliva, making it an accessible and non-invasive option for exploring genetic ancestry.

Price: USD 96

A polygenic risk score (PRS) is a numerical value that quantifies an individual’s genetic predisposition to a specific trait or disease. It is calculated based on the sum of an individual’s genetic variants, each weighted by the effect size (risk) associated with the variant. These genetic variants are usually single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) linked to specific traits or diseases. 

A PRS can provide insights into the likelihood of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or what is your ability to metabolize caffeine, alcohol, or carbohydrates. PRS is also widely used in personalized medicine to tailor healthcare strategies.

Sano offers genetic testing and counseling services tailored for clinical trials with a personalized medicine component. They provide at-home saliva DNA testing kits designed for ease and convenience, requiring less than ten minutes for self-administrating patients. The testing options available include whole exome, whole genome, single or multi-gene panels, and genotyping conducted in partnership with GxP/CLIA-CAP certified labs. Sano manages all aspects of this process, including logistics, patient support, and genetic counseling, while handling data generation, analytics, and reporting. Additionally, their at-home testing approach is cost-effective, potentially reducing expenses by up to 55% and alleviating the need for patients to visit a lab.

Also Read: 31 Frequently Asked Questions About DTC Genetic Testing

The timeframe for completing whole genome sequencing (WGS) can vary depending on several factors, including the sequencing technology used, the quality and quantity of the DNA sample, and the depth of coverage required.

With modern NGS technologies, the sequencing process can be completed in a day. NGS platforms have significantly accelerated the sequencing step, allowing for the simultaneous processing of multiple samples.

However, sequencing is just one part of the WGS process. Sample preparation, which includes DNA extraction and library preparation, can take additional time. Following sequencing, the raw data requires extensive bioinformatics analysis to assemble the sequences and identify genetic variants.

This data analysis phase can take several days to weeks, depending on the complexity of the genome and the level of detail required in the analysis.

For clinical applications, where time is often critical, rapid WGS methods have been developed that can provide results in as little as one to two days. These quick approaches are particularly valuable in acute care settings, such as neonatal intensive care units, where timely genetic information can be crucial for diagnosis and treatment decisions.

In a research context, where the focus may be more on comprehensive analysis than on speed, the entire process, from sample collection to final report, can take several weeks or even months.

Credential stuffing is a type of cyber attack where hackers use stolen account credentials (usernames and passwords) obtained from a data breach at one service and try them on other services. This method exploits the common practice of people using the same password across multiple sites and accounts. 

Here’s a breakdown of why hackers use this method:

• High Success Rate Due to Common Reuse of Passwords: Many people use the same password for multiple accounts. This habit increases the likelihood that a username and password combination obtained from one breach will work on other sites.
• Automated and Efficient: Hackers use automated tools to test stolen credentials at scale across many websites and services. These tools can try thousands of username and password combinations on numerous sites in a short time.
• Access to Valuable Data: Successful credential stuffing can give hackers access to a wealth of personal information, including financial data, personal identifiers, and other sensitive information, which can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or sold on the dark web.
• Low Barrier to Entry: The tools and stolen credentials needed for credential stuffing are readily available on the dark web, making it relatively easy for even less-skilled hackers to execute these attacks.
• Difficult to Detect: Since credential stuffing uses valid login credentials, these attacks can sometimes bypass standard security measures and are harder to detect compared to brute force attacks, where random combinations are tried.

A simple way to protect your data from credential stuffing is to use unique passwords for each of your online accounts. Only sign up for websites of organizations or companies that implement security measures such as multi-factor authentication, monitoring login attempts, and educating users about safe password practices.

While humans share over 99% of their DNA sequences, alterations in the DNA sequence make one’s genome unique; these genetic variants can be a single nucleotide change or span large genome regions. The most common type of genetic variant is a  single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), where there is an alteration in a single base pair in the DNA sequence.