Press Releases

PROVO, Utah, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- MyFamily.com Inc, the leading company for connecting families, and Relative Genetics, a world-class genomics laboratory and leader in establishing definitive biologic relationships through DNA testing and analysis, have entered an exclusive partnership to distribute the Ancestry(TM) GenetiKit(TM), the most complete and extensive DNA test available. The partnership and new product combine traditional genealogy with the latest technology making it easier to answer the question: "Where did I come from?"

The Ancestry GenetiKit will be introduced at GENTECH, the conference for genealogy and technology in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 25, 2002. The test will be available exclusively through Ancestry.com, a member of the MyFamily.com network, on January 25 and can be ordered online at http://www.ancestry.com/genetics for $219.00. The home collection kit comes with a swab to painlessly and easily collect a sample of cells from the inside of your cheek, which is then returned to the laboratory where DNA testing is completed within a few weeks.

The Ancestry GenetiKit can be used to test for paternal-line relationships through a test known as the Surname Test or Y Chromosome Test. The Surname test analyzes 23 markers making it the highest resolution commercial Y-chromosome test in the world. These markers identify the provider's genetic identity inherited from his ancestors. Other tests available using the GenetiKit include the Mitochondrial DNA Native American Haplotype Test and Mitochondrial DNA Sequencing Test used for establishing maternal relationships.

The genetic identity of the provider will be compared against a database of over 19,000 DNA samples, the world's largest database of genetic genealogical samples. The results that will be reported to the provider include an analysis of the provider's personal genetic identity and a comparison with surnames contained in the database to determine relationships. Ancestry.com users can use their personal genetic identity to find other Ancestry.com users who are living relatives. Furthermore, if a match is determined with another sample in the database, the provider will receive ancestral information on that match including a name, place and date.

"By gathering genetic data from populations throughout the world, Relative Genetics and The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, in conjunction with development from the BYU Center for Molecular Genealogy, are building the world's largest database of genetic populations. These populations are sorted by place and time so finding out where and when your genetic ancestors may have lived is easier," said Dr. Scott Woodward, PhD., Professor of Microbiology and faculty member of the Molecular Biology Program at Brigham Young University, Laboratory Director of Relative Genetics.

Genealogy has traditionally been done using records of people's names in association with dates and places. Almost every genealogist knows that names change, dates are not recorded and places can be forgotten. Ancestry.com and Relative Genetics have teamed up to help fill in the missing pieces.

"You carry within your DNA a record of your ancestry," said Tom Stockham, CEO of MyFamily.com. "The Ancestry GenetiKit test accesses the only record that never gets lost; your genetic heritage, DNA. By combining those DNA records with more than 1.5 billion names we currently have available online, we will offer our customers an unsurpassed ability to build family pedigrees and establish relationships between distant relatives."

About MyFamily.com, Inc.
MyFamily.com, Inc. is the leading company connecting families with their histories, origins and one another. As a next generation media company, MyFamily.com is a leading distributor of web-based subscription services. The MyFamily.com network of web sites includes: Ancestry.com, the number one source for tracing family history online; RootsWeb.com, the oldest and largest online genealogy community; and MyFamily.com, the foremost provider of private family web sites. The Company also publishes Ancestry Magazine, Genealogical Computing Magazine, over 50 book titles, and databases on CD-ROM.

About Relative Genetics
Relative Genetics is a world-class genomics laboratory and a global industry leader in establishing definitive biologic relationships through DNA testing and analysis. Using advanced techniques and automated systems, Relative Genetics produces the world's most comprehensive test results and provides superior quality and convenience to customers. Relative Genetics offers a complete array of services from paternal testing to forensic testing to family tree reconstruction. Unique to Relative Genetics is an unsurpassed ability to build family pedigrees and establish relationships between distant relatives.