Googling the Googlers\' DNA: A Demonstration of the 23andMe Personal Genome S...

Google Tech Talks May, 7 2008 ABSTRACT Introduced last November, the 23andMe Personal Genome Service offers customers a glimpse at their own DNA sequence, a 750-megabyte string of four characters (A, C, T and G) that functions as the operating system for a human being. Common variations in this code can influence the structure and function of the associated wetware in predictable ways. Some of these variations and their effects on traits such as athletic talent, pain sensitivity and avoidance of errors will be discussed in reference to three well-documented examples (Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt). Have questions? 23andMe will have their Ancestry and Gene Journal specialists handy to answer all levels of questions. Want Your Own Genome? You can order it at the Spit Party for a significant discount (50% off)! Can't wait to spit? They will have kits available at the event for you to purchase and spit right there. If you happen to miss this party, the discount will be available for 24 hours after the event as well. You are encouraged to visit www.23andme.com, sign up for a demo account and take 23andMe for a test drive! This talk will be taped. Speaker: Linda Avey Linda has over 20 years of sales and business development experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. Prior to starting 23andMe, she developed translational research collaborations with academic and pharmaceutical partners for Affymetrix and Perlegen Sciences. Linda also spent time at Spotfire helping scientists understand the power of data visualization and at Applied Biosystems during the early days of the human genome project. The advent of high density genome-wide scanning technologies brought huge potential for significant discoveries. However, the lack of sufficient funding to enable adequate studies prompted Linda to think of a new research model. These ideas led to the formation of 23andMe. Her primary interest is the acceleration of personalized medicine, using genetic profiles to target the right drug to the right person at the correct dose. Linda graduated from Augustana College with a B.A. in biology.