CGS-authored
Incoming freshmen at the University of California-Berkeley who dread the thought of college exams will at least get to start with an easier test, if they choose; one that involves only a cotton swab and a quick rub on the inside of their cheeks.
The Class of 2014 will be asked to submit to a DNA test as part of a university-wide project. The project, which is the first example of mass genetic testing by a university, looks at three genes. One is related to the ability to break down alcohol, another may point to difficulty digesting dairy products and one regulates the body's ability to absorb the vitamins contained in green, leafy vegetables.
While they may lack the gravitas associated with other genetic tests that have garnered recent headlines, such as home tests designed to assess the risk for Alzheimer's, diabetes and breast cancer, people behind the latest effort say it should yield some enlightening results.
"This is an educational project, not a research project," said Jasper Rine, professor of genetics at the university and the faculty member who...
The Class of 2014 will be asked to submit to a DNA test as part of a university-wide project. The project, which is the first example of mass genetic testing by a university, looks at three genes. One is related to the ability to break down alcohol, another may point to difficulty digesting dairy products and one regulates the body's ability to absorb the vitamins contained in green, leafy vegetables.
While they may lack the gravitas associated with other genetic tests that have garnered recent headlines, such as home tests designed to assess the risk for Alzheimer's, diabetes and breast cancer, people behind the latest effort say it should yield some enlightening results.
"This is an educational project, not a research project," said Jasper Rine, professor of genetics at the university and the faculty member who...