This post is an update on my SNP genome scan report in which there has been a few developments. It came about because my dad (Bob Marshall) had his 80th birthday last week and we made a detailed report on his ancestry based on DeCodeMe. By the Y-chromosome he was related to Somerled the Viking-Scottish 12th century king (as are millions of other caucasians). However, I noted the high risk he has for macular degeneration (5x, 46%). This rang a bell because his grandmother (Jessie Boneham) went blind after "she had her cataracts removed but the operation didn't work" suggesting retinal disease after age 85 years. Anyway I looked again at my age related macular degeneration risk and see a lesser but elevated risk (2.88x, 23%). Last month my eye exam was normal except for early arcus senilis and slight refraction problems. I'll continue with a two yearly check. This year I decided to seriously attend to my blood pressure (erratic and about 20mm above ideal levels if not treated) and also my cholesterol. My SNP risks reflect a 50% risk of hypertension, as well as diabetes, obesity and heart attack (although modestly elevated). Good news is that my risk of muscle damage from my statin is low so I can take these with impunity. My recent blood pressure readings are graphed in one of the documents on the web site. An episode of angioedema caused me to change my ACE inhibitor to an ACE receptor blocker and so far I have not had any more side effects.
You can read my full SNP report plus other health reports here: http://www.bajama.mine.nu/~barry/decodeme/ . I also include an AVI file showing a movie of my coronary calcium CT scan and you can go into the directory below to see my actual raw SNP data in case you want to research it. I don't know what use this information is but I do want to hold true to my idea of a public health record. More and more people care less and less about this type of data - its becoming so common.
What else is new? Well, I am saving up to have my total genome done. I would also like to do my whole family, but the Western Australian DNA bank refuses to store the DNA at present. They are so precious that they only do storage for bona-fide research projects, not for people like me who are just exploring their own family. So I may just keep it frozen in the back of my -80C refrigerator at the H.pylori Research Lab.
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Since I won a prestigious Swedish prize in 2005, some people have been interested in my opinion. My opinions are often based on fact, but some I just have; maybe my mother told me. Anyway, if I feel like venting I may do it here. But this is not a very intensive blog, just a little bit of news really.
5 comments:
I was drawn to this blog because of Barry's comments today at the National Press club of Australia. He was invited to address the assembly, as are all speakers, and he spoke about his work and the need for medical research to focus on the "cure" type of drug as opposed to the drugs sold by drug company's that focus on temporary ease of the medical condition each drug is used for. The drug company's do a good job, he said, but their focus is on share holders returns, which is in line with all listed businesses.
I knew of his helicobactor pylori work and my wife and I have benefited as a result of that and we add our support to his ongoing efforts. If I was wealthy ( I am not ) I would donate funds to his research teams.
David Ellis
I was drawn to this blog because of Barry's comments today at the National Press club of Australia. He was invited to address the assembly, as are all speakers, and he spoke about his work and the need for medical research to focus on the "cure" type of drug as opposed to the drugs sold by drug company's that focus on temporary ease of the medical condition each drug is used for. The drug company's do a good job, he said, but their focus is on share holders returns, which is in line with all listed businesses.
I knew of his helicobactor pylori work and my wife and I have benefited as a result of that and we add our support to his ongoing efforts. If I was wealthy ( I am not ) I would donate funds to his research teams.
David Ellis
Like Fairwind, I was drawn to this blog after watching Professor Marshall speak at the National Press Club luncheon today.
Apart from the fascination that the subject of his speech held for me, his down-to-earth manner and crystal-clear explanation of the benefits of genome research was so engaging that I wanted to learn more about him, and through him, the topic.
I will definitely be following this blog with keen interest, and telling my friends about it as well.
Thanks.
G. Gnome
I thoroughly enjoyed your talk on Meet the press today, and on reading your blogs, I think yours will be one of my favoorite web sites.
I have been interested in genomes for some time and have read some books on the subject.
As soon as it is affordable will certainly get mine done.
I am 73 so hope I live long enough.
Thank you for a wonderful and inspiring hour on medical research and genome
Clancyellen
To update you, DeCodeMe went broke. They sold themselves to Amgen and were closed down as discussed in the link below (copy and past into your browser).
"http://www.genomicslawreport.com/index.php/2012/12/10/implications-of-amgendecode-deal-for-genetic-testing-consumers"
I'm crying, but at least I have the family SNP database downloaded so I can still use it. Shame on the FDA for closing down open testing services in the USA. Shame on Amgen for killing the internet service from DeCodeMe.
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