Family History

Your family history holds key information about your past and clues to your future health. Many of your physical traits, such as eye color, hair color, and height are inherited. So, too, are risks for certain genetic conditions and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. You may have noticed that some... Read More

Genetic diseases are caused by random changes in our DNA called variants or mutations. When a variant occurs, it can change the way a gene functions or the protein it codes for. This change can cause a disruption in the body that may cause a disease. These changes can be passed on to the next... Read More

Media Contact: Nalini Padmanabhan ASHG Communications Manager 301.634.7346 press@ashg.org For Immediate Release Friday, October 9, 2015 4:45 pm U.S. Eastern Time (UTC-05:00) Findings Reported at ASHG 2015 Annual Meeting BETHESDA, MD – By combining genetic data, ancestry information, and electronic health records, scientists are able to identify neighborhood-level patterns of migration in the New York... Read More

PRESS RELEASE Friday, October 22, 2010 Media Contact: ASHG Press Office 301-634-7346 press@ashg.org Experts Present Findings at ASHG 60th Annual Meeting that Provide New Insight on Patient and Physician Understanding and Use of Family Health History to Assess Disease Risk BETHESDA, MD – October 22, 2010 – Thousands of the world’s top scientists and clinicians... Read More

PRESS RELEASE Media Contact: ASHG Press Office 301-634-7346 press@ashg.org ASHG Publishes New White Paper in Journal that Explains Scientific Reasoning and Expands on Recommendations Made in 2008 Policy Statement BETHESDA, MD – May 13, 2010 – Genetic ancestry testing is a practice that has become increasingly popular in the U.S. over the past few years.... Read More