Comparison Of Ancestrydna And Atlas Biomed

This paper outlines and provides a synopsis into the objective(s) of both AncestryDNA and Atlas Biomed. Both companies are similar in that they collect DNA from civilians and provide estimates, probabilities and an overall rundown of what their DNA is telling us. There are a multitude of factors that enable AncestryDNA to dominant the DNA analysis market, and this is one reason why these companies are so similar but also very different at the same time. AncestryDNA has a massive data base of DNA which enables them to have more accurate estimates in terms of people’s heritage. Atlas Biomed realized they don’t have the resources that Ancestry DNA has being that they are a very small company, so they shifted their focus on microbiome testing.

This organization is based out of the United Kingdom and claim to be the world's first DNA and microbiome health platform. They know they dont have the resources/ database of DNA from consumers to obtain accurate ethnicity tests (most popular form of DNA test), so they decided to set their platform around microbiome testing. Microbiome testing consisting of analyzing an individuals feces which in turn provides information about the individuals gut, from the millions of bacteria that reside in the gut to how it affects our overall anatomy. “These crucial gut organisms help us digest food, produce chemicals and substances within the body, control infections by pathogens, regulate the immune system, and even control emotions” (Katie). They use the same concepts as the other DNA testing websites except with gut bacteria. Using Illumina technology, they are able to “identify your microbes and evaluate their proportion in the microbiome.” (User, D. T.). With this they can determine a surplus of things relative to our body and genome. For example they can determine how prone we are to developing certain conditions, and provide us with a combination of the food we should consume, the amount of activity we should endure in addition to a glimpse into our ancestry. They are a relatively new company, but the information they can derive from gut bacteria is truly

The main issue people have with DNA tests is privacy. An individual's DNA is immensely more exclusive than a social security number and in the wrong hands, your life could be at risk. If a database filled with millions of DNA samples from people all around the world; it takes only one person to breach the “security” and peoples DNA would then be readily available to anyone in the public. People can potentially analyze your DNA and see what bacteria or viruses your DNA is most vulnerable to, and use it against you. Additionally insurance companies could potentially obtain the results of a DNA test and see that you have an incredibly high probability of developing breast cancer. They would in turn use this information against you in anticipation of this