The personal, the political, and the science of ancestry tests.

Palestinian-American cartoonist and illustrator Marguerite Dabaie spat into a test-tube and sent her DNA off to the genetic testing company, 23andMe.

To her surprise the results told her something significantly different to what she understood about herself and her family.

Then, two years later, 23andMe sent her an update, and the results radically changed.

What’s going on? And, with what consequences?

Is genomic science way too white?

[Correction: At one point we inadvertently say British-Irish instead of British-Scottish heritage when referring to Marguerite's mother's heritage. The latter is correct.]





GUESTS

Marguerite Dabaie

Cartoonist and illustrator, New York

Dr Joanna Mountain

Senior Director of Research

23andMe, USA

Professor Sarah Tishkoff

David and Lyn Silfen University Professor in Genetics and Biology

University of Pennsylvania, USA

FURTHER INFORMATION

“23andMe doesn’t know what makes a Palestinian”

Cartoon by Marguerite Dabaie (The Nib, 2019)

23andMe’s Global Genetics Project

The missing diversity in human genetics studies

Giorgio Sirugo, Scott M. Williams, Sarah A. Tishkoff

Cell, 177, March 21 2019



Presenter: Natasha Mitchell

Producers: Natasha Mitchell and Jane Lee

Sound engineer: Ariel Gross