OHHURON-L Archives
Archiver > OHHURON > 2000-11 > 0973877550
From: "Ron Hatton" <>
Subject: [OHHURON-L] All Invited to Molecular Genealogy Event at Suitland Md. Stake Center, 18 Nov.
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 12:32:30 -0500
Thought maybe some of you would be interested in new things that have come
along. I received this thru the Anne Arundel Co.Md.Genealogy rootsweb.
Ron
> Dear fellow genealogists on the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Genealogy
> Listserv,
>
> On behalf of the Suitland Maryland Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of
> Latter-day Saints, I would like to personally invite each of you to a very
> special event: An opportunity to have your personal DNA analyzed for
genetic
> markers indicating the homelands, tribes, and clans from which your
> ancestors originated. The event will be held on Saturday morning,
November
> 18, 2000 at 9:00 A.M. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
> 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, Maryland (Beltway Exit 7-B).
>
> I have prepared an announcement regarding the event, below, which provides
> more information. I hope each of you will come to hear Dr. Scott Woodward,
a
> world-renowned geneticist, explain this new technology and take the
> opportunity to have your unique genetic code preserved and analyzed for
> clues to your ancestors' origins.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Cole Goodwin
> Family History Consultant
> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
>
> PS: If you have any questions or would like to contact me, please e-mail
me
> at or telephone (301) 952-8336.
>
> =================================
> =================================
> Scientists Coming to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in
Camp
> Springs, Md. To Collect DNA to Link All People Together Into One Great
> Genetic World Family Tree
> =================================
>
> Camp Springs, Maryland--The Suitland Maryland Stake of The Church of Jesus
> Christ of Latter-day Saints will host a special morning fireside meeting
> with Brigham Young University (BYU) Professor Scott Woodward, Ph.D. and
his
> researchers in the BYU Molecular Genealogy Research Project (MGRP). The
> researchers will collect DNA samples and family trees from the general
> public to become part of the first genetic world family tree. The
fireside
> will be held on Saturday morning, November 18, 2000 at 9:00 a.m. at the
> Suitland Md. Stake Center, 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, Maryland. Also
> speaking at the fireside will be Megan Smolenyak, author of the
best-selling
> book, In Search of Our Ancestors.
>
> All are invited to attend the fireside. However, only those 18 years of
age
> and older may participate in the study itself. After completing a consent
> form, participants will have a small blood sample drawn from them and are
> asked to submit at least a four-generation pedigree chart showing the
names
> of their ancestors along with their birthplaces and birth dates. Those
who
> do not have a completed four-generation pedigree chart are urged to visit
> one of the many family history centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of
> Latter-day Saints in this area. Collecting individual samples of blood for
> DNA analysis takes only about ten minutes. The fireside and participation
in
> the study are offered at no charge to the general public.
>
> The visit of the BYU researchers is part of a large-scale study to
construct
> a correlated genetic and genealogical database. Molecular genealogy fuses
> genealogy and genetics together and the resulting database is designed to
be
> a valuable resource for genealogical investigation.
>
> In practice, molecular genealogy links individuals together in family
trees
> based on the unique identification of genetic markers. This is
accomplished
> by using the information encoded in the genetic material, known as DNA, of
> an individual or of a population to determine the relatedness of
> individuals, families, tribal groups, and populations. Pedigrees (family
> trees) based on genetic markers can reveal relationships not detectable in
> genealogies based only on names, written records, or oral traditions. The
> fact that DNA is inherited and that each individual is the product of his
> progenitors means that DNA can be used to create unique identifications
and,
> also, to identify members of the same family, the same clan or tribal
group,
> or the same population.
>
> This DNA analysis can prove especially helpful to those whose ancestry
lacks
> surname identification or for whom records were not created, as is often
the
> case with those of African, of Native American and of Scandinavian
ancestry.
> In addition to holding out the possibility of eventually helping to find
the
> person's ancestral homes through genetic analysis, participation in the
> project confers additional benefits, to include the following:
>
>  Preservation of each participant's unique genetic code for his or
> her descendants;
>  Possible cross matching of participants' DNA to determine
> relatedness;
>  Verifying existing genealogical records; and
>  A genetic discrimination between closely related individuals or
> those sharing the same name.
>
> Phase One has the BYU researchers traveling from country to country
> collecting 100,000 blood samples for DNA from 500 worldwide populations.
> This phase may take several years. Once all of the genetic samples are
> collected, the project will move into Phase Two of their research by
> creating a private database in order to analyze and to record the genetic
> markers for all ethnic, tribal, familial and geographic groups.
>
> The research team guarantees the privacy of the genetic information
> gathered, which is protected by both state and federal laws and protected
in
> a high-security facility with access by only the project head.
>
> More information on the Molecular Genealogy Research Project, may be
> obtained from their their official web site at
> http:/molecular-genealogy.byu.edu/.
>
> Incidentally, local organizers are seeking additional medical personnel
> (such as physicians and nurses) who have training and experience in
drawing
> blood samples (phlebotomy). Such personnel should contact Cole Goodwin,
> accordingly:
>
> Cole Goodwin, 8534 Biscayne Court, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772-5164
> TEL: 301-952-8336 (home); 202-777-2649, ext. 7963 (work and fax)
> E-mail:
>
> The Suitland Maryland Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of
> Latter-day Saints is located at 5300 Auth Road, Camp Springs, which is
> located just off Exit 7-B of the Capitol Beltway around Washington, DC.
>
> To learn more about the BYU Molecular Genealogy Project, please visit
their
> official website, as listed below:
>
> BYU Molecular Genealogy Research Group
> http://molecular-genealogy.byu.edu/
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