Thursday, October 10
New Frontiers in Personal Genomics
Joanna Mountain, Senior Director of Research, 23andMe

Abstract

Personal Genomics took a giant leap forward in 2007 when 3 companies launched services that enabled consumers to gain access to their personal genetic data, and to interpretations of those data in the areas of health, genealogy, and ancestry.

In 2008 23andMe took the field another step forward by initiating customer-driven research. Since then, scientists from 23andMe have published about a dozen articles describing the results of this research in peer-reviewed journals. The customer-driven research is transforming Personal Genomics as consumers gain further insights that are based on these published findings. 23andMe has begun providing customers with "Key Health Recommendations" based on their genetic results. 23andMe's ability to continue to provide new recommendations depends on the research driven by its customers, who answer survey questions and consent to having their genetic and other personal data used for research.

This talk will review the brief history of Personal Genomics, as well as the challenges that companies and scientists in the space are currently facing.

Speaker:
Joanna Mountain, Senior Director of Research, 23andMe

Joanna Mountain is a human geneticist who studies the connections between genetics and a broad range of diseases, the prehistory underlying human genetic diversity, and the nature of the relationship between genetic diversity and categories of race and ethnicity.

Dr. Mountain earned a PhD in Genetics and a BS in Mathematical Sciences, both from Stanford, and conducted postdoctoral research on human evolutionary genetics at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Mountain joined 23andMe in 2007 as Senior Director of Research, having served on the faculties of the Anthropological Sciences and Genetics Departments at Stanford University.

Meeting info:

Emerging Tech SIG:
www.svforum.org/ETsig

As with all SVForum SIGs:
free for members
$20 for non-members
(or join SVForum, our parent organization, for only $145 for 12 months -- and then attend all its great SIGs free and get discounts to its conferences and programs).
No registration required, but pre-registration will connect you in to the evening's community:
www.svforum.org/ETsig
As with all SVForum SIGs, we open with a half hour of networking and free pizza.

Agenda:
6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Registration / Networking / Refreshments / Pizza
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Presentation and Q&A

Sponsors:
IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Nixon Peabody

Thank you to our Facilities Host: Nixon Peabody
San Francisco: One Embarcadero Center, Sacramento St. between Front & Battery, Suite 1800, http://www.nixonpeabody.com/san_francisco_office
second Thursdays
We're meeting at Nixon Peabody in SF, just off the confluence of Market and Embarcadero streets as well as of BART, Muni Metro, and the Market and Fisherman's Wharf historic streetcar lines. And after 6, you can even drive there and park!

Notes:
doors lock at 7:15pm - you must arrive by then (but pre-registering at www.svforum.org/ETsig may get you in after then - we advise pre-registering)
Parking: below-ground lot below Embarcadero 1; parking garage on Clay Street (about a block away) at about $7 for the whole night; parking on the street, but may be metered (SF is changing its meter rules every month, it seems)
BART: Embarcadero Station
Muni Metro: Embarcadero Station