Did you know that we’re the first generation to participate in building a new domain of science? Who wouldn’t want to be part of it? “Me! I want in!” I went looking and found one of the first genetic ancestry tests for non-scientists. 

Using the swab, sending my sample, and receiving the report about my deep ancestry was a fascinating process. What ancient stories would my modern DNA reveal?

That was 2005 and little did I know, I was participating in the Genomics Revolution. An audacious experiment that grew into a human-planet-wide adventure that impacts all of us.

Once upon a time, no code, just pieces. For more than 150 years, paleo-anthropologists examined ancient remains to decipher the puzzle of human evolution. Human fossils are rare; scattered across continents in small fragments, scientists feared there would never be enough to assemble an accurate history of our species.

Rise of a new era. Then in 1977, genetic sequencing technology added pieces to the puzzle. Invented by British biochemist Fred Sanger, the tech “reads” the A, T, C, and Gs on our chromosomes and mitochondria. Geneticists began to build a library of human genetic variation — an audacious experiment that became the Human Genome Project (HGP), thus kicking off the Era of Genomics.

Bones and genes get together. While HGP research focused on basic science and biomedical questions, anthropologists wondered if ancient DNA could answer questions that fossil bones could not — how did we evolve; where do we come from? 

A 1987 scientific paper proved that it could. “Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and human evolution” was the first to analyze patterns in DNA to understand our early evolutionary history. Considered a classic, Stoneking, Caan, and Wilson wrote a short and easy-to-read paper; check it out.

Mark Stoneking and colleagues compared mtDNA from people who were alive and living in different parts of the world. They concluded that all humans had a common ancestor in Africa about 200,000 years ago. Their work and research by other scientists launched the field of molecular anthropology. 

Next step: genomics + paleo-anthropology. What if DNA in old bones could be retrieved, sequenced, and compared to people living today? What stories they could tell! That’s what evolutionary geneticist Svante Paabo accomplished by developing methods to extract ancient Y chromosome and mtDNA from paleontological remains.

You can read about the scientific adventure in his autobiography, “Neanderthal Man: in Search of Lost Genomes.” Investigating ancient DNA and modern genomes is the field of molecular paleo-anthropology. The mighty combo of genes and old bones continues to build a deeper understanding of our species.

Hello DTC testing. I was mesmerized by the unfolding discoveries and wondered if someday, somehow, I could be part of it. That’s why a curious venture, The Genographic Project, caught my attention. It was a unique collaboration between science and commerce — one of the first to offer direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic ancestry testing.

Building a new domain. In addition to sequencing populations for scientific research, they offered DNA kits to individuals. Not only would my data add to the knowledge of our species, but the project would give a report about my own “deep” ancestry. I could participate in scientific discovery by adding my bits to the new domain of science.

Catching the spark. It was the summer of 2005, and I ordered a Genographic DNA kit straight away. Weeks later, my results arrived. The written report describing my Northern European heritage was no surprise, for it synched with my family history. The graphic description, on the other hand, was simply astonishing.

Powerful story. A map of the world showed lines coming out of Africa, looping through the Levant, with a few turning northward through Europe. One line ended close to the British Isles and was labeled “haplogroup H.”

The lines depicted my maternal lineage via “markers” in my DNA. The markers are unique mutations in my mitochondrial DNA passed from mother to daughter through distant times. An ancient female story about women I would never know, yet connected by shared genetic variants I carry with me today.

Powerful visual. This picture of shared genetic ancestry was something we had never seen before. It was powerful new information that was personal yet human-wide. It showed, in less than a thousand words, that we’re all connected. How could I communicate my feeling of wonder and awe?

I dove into drawing and writing about genetic ancestry, weaving what I learned into my creative process. I wanted to show and tell our genome stories. The outcome from hundreds of sketches and many hours of research was a series of DNA portraits.

Visualizing genetic ancestry. Shown below is a self-portrait showing my maternal lineage, haplogroup “H” from mitochondrial DNA. As I developed the look and feel of the portraits, the work grew into a series that included a person’s face. You can see some of the portraits in the Genetic Ancestry Exhibit the University of Minnesota commissioned.

The Genomics Era. When diving into the thick of it years ago, I couldn’t imagine I would morph into a genome explorer and fierce advocate for science. And how the Human Genome Project would impact everyday life. What began three decades ago as an audacious experiment laid the foundation for gene therapies for precision medicine and rescued millions of us with the mRNA vaccines.

We’re all Genome Explorers. As genomic applications integrate into everyday life, understanding our data becomes vital to our individual and human-wide health. We need to be genome-literate to guide ethical applications and just public policy. Future generations are counting on us to get it right.

It’s why, some years ago, I went on a mission to show the beauty and value of our magnificent genomes. We’re all Genome Explorers now, and that’s why I plan to stay in the thick of it.