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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-03 > 1111178147


From: "Lowe DNA" <>
Subject: RE: [DNA] Finding new USEFUL SNPs?
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 14:35:47 -0600
In-Reply-To: <031820052007.14784.423B3516000487F9000039C02200751150050B989A0E00@comcast.net>


David...

You are correct...but what is life if we would not
have people like you and Jim, Bennett and Max, and others
who have pushed ahead in this field.

I think the money is out there...but finding ways to tap
these is fund is the key to success.

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 2:08 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [DNA] Finding new USEFUL SNPs?


Bill:

I wish it was this simple, but generally a company signs a contact with a
university lab for a set period of time. When the contract is up so is the
agreement. Then comes a period of agonizing uncertainty. If you entirely
tie your operation to one facility and then find that the lab's priorities
have changed you are out in the cold scrambling for "alternative
arrangements". If the "baby boomers" are so keen on all this stuff, why
does one of our competitors after spending over $100,000 to set up and two
years of advertising their product, end up with 3 to 4 orders a week? You
may be misjudging the demand out there. We are fully prepared to cope with
this possibility by "thinking outside the box". Lets just say that I want
to get my Korean son in law busy cultivating an interest in non -
traditional markets (regions).

Truly Bill, I have yet to see any clear indications that even the American
market which should drive the push into uncharted waters is all that strong.
Trace Genetics bowed out after two weeks. FTDNA seems to be in no rush.
People should understand that without an expert geneticist running the show
(and there are not that many who have the time or inclination to enter the
commercial arena), a company is doomed to failure. We will soon get a sense
of what the demand is - it is a huge gamble on our part, and there is no
guaranteed pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - only uncertainty.

I hope I have given you some insights on a few of the problems that "get in
the way" of all these supposed billions of dollars. I have confidence so
will forge ahead full speed. Many of my colleagues are very very reticent
to move into this market. Life is about taking calculated risks.

David F.



-------------- Original message --------------

> Mike, Ken, David...
>
> I have another take on this... FTDNA and Arizona University
> seem to be cruising along with their splendid cooperative
> effort..
>
> What in the deuce are these other universities doing... There
> is a billion dollars or more out here with the boomers. That
> ain't loose change. If I were an younger person, and an
> academic about to loose a job...the FTDNA-Arizona model
> might be one to look at a bit closer.
>
> You can be reactive and die, or be proactive and creative.
>
> Bill
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:]
> Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 12:05 PM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [DNA] Finding new USEFUL SNPs?
>
>
> David ...
>
> This meshes perfectly with the experience that Ken & I have had with Peter
> Underhill at Stanford. His lab is part of the Cavalli Lab, which is in the
> Genetics dept, in the Stanford hospital complex. Medical funding drives
> everything. I met with Peter last month, an hour after a going-away lunch
> for one of his
> employees who had just lost her job because of lack of funding.
> Not a pretty picture.
>
> I don't share Ken's apparent pessimism, tho: my impression is that Peter
is
> listening to us, but hamstrung by lack of funding. He's also interested in
> "reconciliation" of the 3x ratio of genealogical f/s YSTR rates &
estimated
> effective population YSTR rates. (another email to write :-)
>
> Mike ...
> ==========================================
>
>
> Potential SNP hunters have little incentive beyond their own curiosity to
> search for elusive single nucleotide polymorphism mutations that are "not
> private". The research money is pretty well dedicated to medical genetic
> screening
> and any other work must be "piggy backed" on this activity the granting
> agencies must give permission to use the samples in a way that is not
> directly tied
> to the intended use. I can assure you that Jim Wilson would love to be in
> a
> position to have free rein to go on a hunt for SNPs, but these days the
> analogy
> with police work may apply.
>
>
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