Category Archives: Transhuman News

Dorothy took a DNA genetic assay as a joke, looking for distant relatives, only to be told she hada daughter, even though she had never been pregnant.

Dorothy Weaver had never considered herself a lonely woman until she lost her husband at 57. Dorothy and her husband Thomas had both been human rights attorneys and their passion for their cause had been all-absorbing.

They met in college at a student protest and had fallen in love at first sight. Over the next thirty-five years, they had occasionally thought about having children, but then another cause would appear, and the baby project would be set aside another year.

The decades followed each other faster than Dorathy had thought possible, and one day having a baby was no longer possible -- but they could still adopt. Tom and Dorothy had started the adoption process when he died.

Dorothy had been in the office, going over a last-ditch maneuver to save a teen on death row when the phone rang. She picked it up, irritated at the interruption. "This had better be good!" she'd snapped.

"Mrs. Weaver?" the quiet voice on the line raised the hairs on the back of her neck. "It's about your husband, Mr. Thomas Weaver..."

Dorothy let the phone slip from her nerveless fingers, drowning out the sympathetic voice and all the futile explanations. Tom was gone. That big, brave heart had failed. "I'm alone," Dorothy whispered, "I'm all alone."

While Tom had been raised by loving parents, Dorothy had been shuffled from one foster home to another until she aged out of the system, but her brilliant mind and tenacity had gotten her to college, and then law school.

Now when she got home, there was no more Tom to share a glass of wine with over takeout pasta, no one to argue heatedly over the issues they were defending, no one to reach for in that cold empty bed.

The terrible feeling of being sundered, less than a whole person that she'd felt all her life had vanished when she met Tom -- but now that terrible loneliness was consuming her life.

Dorothy increased her office hours, poured herself into more cases until one day she simply collapsed in the middle of an impassioned closing, arguing in defense of a young homeless mother who had killed the social workerwho had tried to take her baby.Dorothy, the woman of steel was no more.

After a long convalescence, she finallytook stock of her life. She was now just 60, too young to retire but also not strong enough to practice law like she used to.

What could she do? Teach? Shecontacted the prestigious law school she and Tom had attended and cadged an offer to lecture a few hours a week. That was something! She'd be active, useful, and surrounded by bright young minds!

Teaching helped, but at the end of the day, she was alone, sitting up in bed watching late-night TV -- bad late-night TV! Later she would attribute what happened next to that late-night talk show and its ditzy guests.

It was 2 am and a big black woman in a massive wig was interviewing a thin white one with almost no hair. Their mouths were opening and closing soundlessly, and at last, Dorothy relented and turned up the volume.

"...my mother," said the thin white woman wiping at her rabbit-pink eyes. "I asked her, but the truth is she didn't know..."

The black hostess turned incredulous eyes towards the camerabefore looking back at her guest."Honey, your mama didn't know who her baby-daddy was?"

The thin woman blushed, or rather, she broke out in ugly red blotches. "My mother had some godless years, Mavis, but she's walking with the Lord now!"

"Amen!" cried Mavis enthusiastically, then she asked,"But how did she not know?"

"It was those Woodstock days, Mavis," said the woman."People were sinning and following the ways of the devil and indulging their flesh..."

"But you found your father," Mavis interrupted before the thin woman started preaching. "How did that come about?"

"Well, my son sent in my DNA and my husband's as a Christmas present. And I can tell you, Mavis, I was mad...Some mysteries belong to the Lord..."

"Yes, yes," said Mavis impatiently."We all know that, but how did you find your daddy?"

"They sent us this report, Mavis, and there it was as bold as brass: Sturgis Lee Kersey. And seven more names of siblings -- brothers and sisters, you know?You could have knocked me over with a feather..."

At that moment, Mavis gestured and a Dorothy saw a smartly dressed girl usherin eight scrawny people -- obviously the thin woman's long-lost relatives. "This is where I get off!" cried Dorothy, and she switched off the TV.

But the blotchy face of the thin woman kept rising in front of her eyes, and those purple cracked lips said,"I wanted to know where I come from, and how come he didn't love me."

Dorothy got up and went to her bathroom, turned on the lights, and looked in the mirror. She whispered,"I wantto know where I come from, and how come she didn't love me." The next day, she decided to search learn more about her own roots.

After doing a considerable amount of research, Dorothysettled on a company that seemed to be the most reliable. She ordered the DNA test, took the cheek swab, and sent it off.

A month later she received the results. One part was a bewildering flood of information about her ethnic heritage but in another section of the report, she saw the words '49.96% match' with the photo of a red-head young woman whom the company identified as Michelle Simpson, 33, her daughter.

"My daughter?" she whispered."I don't have a daughter. I don't have any children whatsoever!"Dorothy sent off a blistering email, accusing the company of incompetence and threatening all kinds of legal mayhem.

The company replied to her through the telephone a few days later. "Mrs. Weaver," the smooth-voiced man on the other side said."We've consulted our technical team, and faced with your assertion that you have never been pregnant or given birth, they offer the possibility of you having an identical twin."

"An identical twin?" gasped Dorothy, flabbergasted."But...Oh my God! I was raised in the foster system...I had no idea..."

So Dorothy sent Michelle Simpson a personal message through the heritage website and received an excited reply which included a phone number and a suggestion they meet up.

Dorothy agreed and two days later she walked into a restaurant towards a table where a slim red-head was sitting. The woman, Michelle, tried to get up but sank back down in her chair, white as a ghost.

"You..." she whispered."You look just like mom. Exactly, that hairstyle, the type of clothes...you even walk like her!"

"Michelle?" asked Dorothy hesitantly."Your mom, she was in foster care too?"

Michelle shook her red curls. "No! Mom was adopted when she was two. She had no memories of her mother, but she had a hard time adapting. So later on, my grandparents didn't encourage her to find her biological family."

"Your mother..." Dorothy said."She's my twin. Have you told her? Does she know?"

Michelle nodded. "Yes, she knows. She's scared though. She didn't want me to do this. She didn't want to know why her mother had abandoned her."

"Abandoned us," said Dorothy."She abandoned us, and she let us be separated." Michelle lifted her cell phone and took a snap of Dorothy. She typed out a quick message and sent it.

"Sit!" said Michelle."Tell me about yourself!"

"I'm a lawyer," Dorothy said."And a widow. I have no children, I have no one which is why I sent in my DNA..." But Michelle was gazing over Dorothy's shoulder and her face broke into a wide smile.

"Mom," she cried."Come and meet Dorothy."

Dorothy got up on trembling legs and turned around to face herself!

"Dorothy?" her other self whispered, "I'm Susan."

Dorothy didn't even think. She just stretched out her arms and threw them around Susan. She discovered that she was crying, but it was okay, because Susan was crying too, and so was Michelle.

"I always felt there was something wrong with me, a part of me missing," cried Susan sobbing.

"Me too!" said Dorothy."As if only half my heart was working..."

"Now we are together!" said Susan. They turned radiant faces towardsMichelle and smiled identical smiles. Even their hair was cut the same way, and they were both wearing similar outfits.

Susan -- who practiced family law -- explained that she had been married to Michelle's father for over 15 years before the relationship fell apart. Sheand the teenaged Michelle had left Florida and decided to start life over in Denver Colorado -- which happened to be where Dorothy was living!

Michelle hadmarried and had four children. "So you are a grandmother!" cried Dorothy enviously. "Tom and I kept putting off having children, we thought we had forever...And then it was too late and now I'm alone."

"No you are not!" said Susan fiercely. "You have me and Michelle, and her husband and her kids... You will never be alone again!"

So Dorothy ended up with a big family and lots of grand-nieces and nephews who looked just like her. As the two sisters got to know each other better they discovered that they had eery parallels in their lives and identical tastes.

Since they were both alone, the sisters ended up moving in together, and Dorothy spoils Susan's grandchildren shamelessly.

What can we learn from this story?

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story,you might likethis oneabout a woman who was arrested for kidnapping after she saved a little girl from her abusive father.

This account is inspired by our readers story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someones life. If you would like to share your story, please send it toinfo@amomama.com

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Old Lady Who Never Had Kids Takes DNA Test Which Reveals She Has a Daughter Story of the Day - AmoMama

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. & VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lab Genomics, a personalized medicine company providing state of the art molecular genetic testing in Southern California and other US locations, today announced in partnership with Canexia Health that MolDX has finalized coverage determination under the policy Plasma-Based Genomic Profiling in Solid Tumors'' for Follow It, a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay. The coverage decision provides Medicare reimbursement for Follow It for use in breast, lung, and colorectal cancers.

Follow It, which requires only a simple blood draw from patients, analyzes ctDNA in plasma to evaluate somatic mutations in 337 hotspots and 26 exons in 38 cancer associated genes. This information can be used to guide targeted treatment selection, which has been shown to improve patient outcomes up to threefold.

Medicare coverage for liquid biopsy is a critical step in helping cancer patients gain access to targeted therapies, said Leena Dalal, Founder of Lab Genomics. We commend MolDX for this decision that supports our focus on delivering individualized medical care.

Reimbursement for Follow It greatly expands access to a minimally-invasive test for cancer treatment selection for some of the most prevalent forms of solid tumor cancer, said Michael Ball, CEO of Canexia Health. This MolDX decision marks a significant milestone in our mission to transform cancer care.

About Canexia HealthCanexia Health makes high-quality cancer genomic information accessible and affordable with our clinically-validated assays, informatics, and support. Our suite of genomics-based cancer tests is clinically actionable and cost-effective, designed to improve cancer treatment and monitoring. With our extensive scientific experience, specialized genomics-based tests, and support from pharmaceutical and diagnostic partners, we are leading the shift towards precision oncology.

About Lab GenomicsLab Genomics, LLC was cultivated with the ideal in mind of providing state of the art molecular genetic testing with the end goal of the best quality of life possible for the patient. Lab Genomics is focused on delivering individualized medical care through its robust molecular and genetics diagnostics. The Lab Genomics team are highly qualified experts in the medical and genetics fields.

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Lab Genomics Announces MolDX Coverage for Follow It Circulating Tumor DNA Assay in Partnership with Canexia Health - Business Wire

Whether you are looking for a unique gift this holiday season or just want to know more about your pup, dog DNA kits from Embark may be the answer.

One of the highest rated DNA tests on the market for dogs right now, Embark is not just about determining your dogs exact breed. These tests can also give you insight into possible genetic health risks and physical traits associated with your pup.

The fact that they offer more than one test to choose from, also means that you can pick the kit that is right for you.

So what are the dog DNA kits that Embark has to offer? And what do they cost (just in case you are thinking of making these a gift to a new dog owner this year)?

Embark Dog DNA Test. Image courtesy Embark

There are three kits available on the Embark website:

What makes Embark DNA kits for dogs so interesting, and why we are thinking of snagging one for ourselves (and yes they are available on Amazon), is the fact that these kits,

Test for over 350 breeds and more than 200 genetic health risks, delivering 2x more information than any other dog DNA test on the market.

And that is not the only thing we can appreciate from these kits. Another thing that makes them stand out from the crowd when it comes to other dog DNA kits on the market is the fact that they have their own unique feature in that,

Unique to Embark, the Dogs Like Mine feature allows users to figure out which dogs in the database have a similar breed mix. Embarks DNA Relative Finder also connects dog owners with other Embark dogs that are related to their dog based on the percentage of DNA they share.

When it comes to doing a dog DNA test, we never really thought that this was something we would be spending the money on. But, thanks to the fact that this particular brand also offers information that can be vital to our dogs health, we might just have to change our minds and get one to see just what our staff pup really is.

Have you ever used a dog DNA kit? Would you test your dogs DNA to learn more about their breed and health history based on genetics? We want to know your thoughts on these tests.

Read more from the original source:
Embark dog DNA kits tell us everything we need to know about our pups - Dog of the Day

Dr. Stephen Schoenberger of La Jolla Institute for Immunology to present data validating a novel, synthetic biology-based neoantigen platform and ability to identify immunogenic cancer mutations and TCRs

San Diego, CA, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Codex DNA, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNAY), a pioneer in automated benchtop synthetic biology systems, today announced that one of its customers will be presenting data at the upcoming PEGS Europe Protein and Antibody Engineering Summit. During the conference, Codex DNA will be showcasing its award-winning BioXp system and a complete line of synthetic biology products at booth #506.

Biologics-based discovery of novel therapeutics is one of the most important areas of research for improving medical advances through the engineering of antibodies or other proteins for cancer treatment, infectious diseases, and inflammatory or autoimmune disorders. However, the process for developing effective monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, single-domain antibody variants, chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR Ts), and T cell receptors (TCRs) can be challenging. This is further compounded by the long lead times associated with sourcing synthetic DNA products that are necessary for screening, identification, and optimization of these novel protein or antibody candidates. The Codex DNA BioXp system is the only push-button, fully automated platform for on-demand synthesis of custom DNA libraries, gene fragments, clones, and mRNA. The system enables researchers to eliminate several manual processes from the traditional workflow and accelerate the identification and generation of validated lead candidates.

WHO: Stephen Schoenberger, Ph.D.Professor, Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Dr. Schoenberger is a translational immunologist who guides an integrated research consortium involving research scientists, physicians, and bioinformaticians working to identify neoantigens through a novel functional strategy based on validation rather than prediction. He is a recipient of Scholar Awards from both The American Cancer Society and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Dr. Schoenberger received his PhD in microbiology and molecular genetics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and completed postdoctoral training in immunohematology and tumor immunology at the University of Leiden in The Netherlands.

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WHAT: Leveraging the Power of Synthetic Biology in NeoAg Identification

Dr. Schoenberger will present his novel neoantigen identification approach that is being used to identify immunogenic cancer mutations and the TCRs that recognize them. The IPV (Identify-Prioritize-Validate) platform combines HLA-agnostic bioinformatic filtering of matched tumor/normal sequence data with functional analysis of autologous lymphocytes to enable functional validation of neoantigens (NeoAg) and specific TCRs with significantly higher efficiency than previous, purely predictive approaches using routinely available clinical samples.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 9:30 am CEST

WHERE: Hotel Arts Barcelona Ritz Carlton, Barcelona, Spain

Scientists involved in biologics discovery and antibody and protein engineering often need to custom-build libraries or synthesize numerous clones to screen new variants, but traditional methods are costly and have extremely long lead times, said Todd R. Nelson, PhD, CEO of Codex DNA. With the ability to generate up to 32 libraries, gene fragments, or clones in less than 24 hours, our benchtop BioXp system streamlines the antibody production process, allowing researchers to significantly increase the quantity and quality of suitable candidates to advance into downstream applications in their own laboratory.

Both Dr. Schoenberger and Dr. Nelson are available for media interviews during the conference. Please contact EMAIL if you are interested in scheduling a private briefing.

About Codex DNA

Codex DNA is empowering scientists with the ability to create novel, synthetic biology-enabled solutions for many of humanitys greatest challenges. As inventors of the industry-standard Gibson Assembly method and the first commercial automated benchtop DNA and mRNA synthesis system, Codex DNA is enabling rapid, accurate, and reproducible writing of DNA and mRNA for numerous downstream markets. The companys award-winning BioXp system consolidates, automates, and optimizes the entire synthesis, cloning, and amplification workflow. As a result, it delivers a virtually error-free synthesis of DNA/RNA at scale within days and hours instead of weeks or months. Scientists around the world are using the technology in their own laboratories to accelerate the design-build-test paradigm for a novel, high-value products for precision medicine, biologics drug discovery, vaccine and therapeutic development, genome editing, and cell and gene therapy. Codex DNA is a public company based in San Diego. For more information, visit codexdna.com.

Codex DNA, the Codex DNA logo, Gibson Assembly, and BioXp are trademarks of Codex DNA Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on Codex DNAs beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to it on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Codex DNAs actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks are described more fully in Codex DNAs filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other documents that Codex DNA subsequently files with the SEC from time to time. Except to the extent required by law, Codex DNA undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Continued here:
MEDIA ALERT: Codex DNA Customer to Highlight Advantages of Automated BioXp System in Precision Cancer Immunotherapy Applications at 13th Annual PEGS...

CHICAGO (CBS) Its been four years since Shantieya Smiths body was found in a West Side garage. The case is still unsolved and the mother of the murdered Chicago woman is looking for answers.

CBS 2 Suzanne Le Mignot investigates.

The mother says she called the Chicago police detective on the case at least five times in the past two years. She says shes gotten the same response when she was able to talk to the detective, were still waiting, for the DNA results.

Latonya Moore expresses her frustration, in her quest for justice.

Its the same thing, the DNA is not back and I was like, how, its been four years and the DNA is not back, Moore said.

On May 26th in 2018, Moores daughter, Shantieya Smith, was reported missing. Almost two weeks later, She was found in a garage underneath a car in North Lawndale.

The Medical Examiner ruled Smiths death a homicide. She had blunt trauma to her head and neck. Moore spoke to us back in 2019.

In 2019, police had told us, DNA results were not back yet. Now, three and a half years after her daughters murder, the Lawndale alley and garage where she was found, look the same. Moore says, the status of finding her daughters killer, appears to be the same too.

Its just like Ive been getting run around. At first, there was supposed to be a handprint on the garage. Never found out about that, so I dont know whats really going on with the case, Moore said.

Moore says shes not only waiting for handprint results, but primarily the DNA. Police had named a person of interest in her daughters case. A man she was last seen with, before she disappeared.

DNA dont take that long, especially for fingerprints, to come back. Fingerprints, did you find any DNA on her dress, did you find anything. Its like, no answers, she said.

Moore says that DNA would let her know, if the person of interest is the one responsible for her daughters death, or if the killer, is still at large.

We as parents, all we want to do is make sure the murderer is not on the street and make sure theyre tried for the crime that they did, Moore said.

So where is the DNA sample? The Illinois State police crime lab says the sample was given to the Chicago police. A spokesperson says the case is still open.

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After 3 Years, A Mother Is looking For Answers For The Murder Of her Daughter Found In A West Side Garage - CBS Chicago

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The results to by-elections of different states came on Tuesday. Some results have showed the BJP. The BJP lost its seats to Congress in Himachal Pradesh. However, the BJP won two seats in MP. DNA discusses the result of this by-election.

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DNA: Result of by-elections of different states announced - DNA India