Posted by Julie Granka on October 16, 2013 in DNA Tech, Science

Next week, the AncestryDNA science team will be flying across the country with a tube full of posters.

Scientific posters, that is.  We’ll be presenting them at the annual American Society of Human Genetics conference (ASHG) in Boston.  This will mark AncestryDNA’s second year presenting our latest research at the largest worldwide conference in human genetics.

Over 6,000 researchers are projected to be at the conference – from academia and industry alike.  Over five days, the science team will be listening to scientific talks, discussing our research with other scientists, and staying abreast of the newest and coolest topics in the field.

At AncestryDNA, we strongly believe in being highly involved in the scientific community.

Discussions with other scientists can lead to eureka moments and plant the seeds for novel research ideas and possibilities.  By engaging with other scientists, we can get feedback on our current endeavors at AncestryDNA – ensuring that we are incorporating the latest developments in population genetics into our own research.

But it’s a two-way street.  Good science requires give and take and the exchange of ideas and criticism.  We too will share our experiences and knowledge.  Just as AncestryDNA learns from other scientists, much of our research can inform the future research of other human geneticists. In some cases, we’ll be collaborating with other scientists to do the research together.

Most importantly, we will maintain an ongoing rapport and relationships with other scientists from academia and industry. As a community, we can together continue to advance our knowledge about human genetics and how it relates to family history.

The ASHG conference is just one of many opportunities for these important interactions with the scientific community.  Throughout the year, through other conferences, guest lectures at nearby universities, discussions with our scientific advisory board, and research collaborations, we’re keeping AncestryDNA’s science fresh and of the highest caliber.

We’re excited for a week of genetics!

Julie Granka

Julie has been a population geneticist at AncestryDNA since May 2013. Before that, Julie received her Ph.D. in Biology and M.S. in Statistics from Stanford University, where she studied genetic data from human populations and developed computational tools to answer questions about population history and evolution. She also spent time collecting and studying DNA using spit-collection tubes like the ones in an AncestryDNA kit. Julie likes to spend her non-computer time enjoying the outdoors – hiking, biking, running, swimming, camping, and picnicking. But if she’s inside, she’s baking, drawing, and painting.

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