Adam Auton
@adamauton.bsky.social
đ€ 909
đ„ 247
đ 54
Geneticist @ 23andMe
reposted by
Adam Auton
Molly Przeworski
9 days ago
Happy to highlight new findings by Vanesa Getseva and Lin Poyraz about the sources of variation in germline mutation rates among humans:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Joint work with Anastasia Stolyarova and
@ipsitaagarwal.bsky.social
. 1/n
loading . . .
A sibling study of variation in parental mutation rates
People are born with variable numbers of de novo germline mutations (DNMs), depending primarily on the ages of their parents. To explore additional causes, we developed an approach to call DNMs from nucleotide differences between siblings in genomic regions inherited identical by descent from both parents. Applying it to whole genome sequences from 28,985 sibling pairs of diverse genetic ancestries present in the UK Biobank and All of Us datasets, as well as 2,330 trios, we identified >800K autosomal DNMs and characterized mutation phenotypes in 27,645 sets of parents. We found subtle shifts in the mutation spectrum but no differences in total DNM rates among genetic ancestry groups, or between smokers and non-smokers. Testing for associations between parental mutation phenotypes and their burden of loss-of-function and deleterious missense variants in a set of 180 DNA repair and maintenance genes, we discovered that disruptions in REV1 and LIG1 increase germline mutation rates, and thus that rare mutator alleles segregate in population cohorts. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. NIH, R35 GM083098
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.10.724105v1
1
66
47
reposted by
Adam Auton
Ăadaoin Harney
10 days ago
I'm thrilled to share our new paper out today in
@currentbiology.bsky.social
! I teamed up with researchers at
@harvardmed.bsky.social
and the Smithsonian to study another historical American population using the 23andMe genetic database. đ§” [1/9] Read it here:
www.cell.com/current-biol...
loading . . .
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(26)00516-6
1
4
6
This story is *really cool* - well worth a read. A great example of genealogical sleuthing with DNA. A huge congratulations to the amazing 23andMe, Smithsonian, and Harvard teams. (I wasnât involved with this study)
www.cell.com/current-biol...
loading . . .
The genetic legacy of the 17th-century colonial capital of St. Maryâs City
Harney et al. analyze 49 genomes from 17th-century St. Maryâs City, Maryland. Using an IBD-based approach, they identify connections to over 1.3 million living relatives, enabling them to study the fo...
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(26)00516-6
10 days ago
0
2
0
Population geneticists! Come work at 23andMe! New role just posted.
23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/23/job/Palo-...
loading . . .
Scientist, Population Genetics
23andMe is looking for a quantitative scientist with extensive experience in population genetics and statistical modeling of human genetics data to join our R&D team. You will leverage your expert...
https://23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/23/job/Palo-Alto-HQ/Scientist--Population-Genetics_2026028
17 days ago
0
11
13
Pretty wild:
www.science.org/content/arti...
loading . . .
Science | AAAS
https://www.science.org/content/article/scientists-stunned-fundamentally-new-way-life-produces-dna
about 1 month ago
0
0
1
reposted by
Adam Auton
Magdalena Skipper
about 1 month ago
Why do people respond differently to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs? Genetics has the answer - provided in this genome wide association study led by
@adamauton.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
đ§Ș
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
loading . . .
Genetics reveal why people respond differently to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs
Genetic variants in GLP1R and GIPR, which encode targets of GLP-1-based medications, offer insights into why responses to these drugs vary and who might face adverse effects.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00905-1
1
20
8
Were you inspired by our paper on the genetics of GLP-1 drug response?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Want to make impactful discoveries with the world's best genetic dataset? We're hiring! StatGen:
tinyurl.com/ys4mvhej
Risk Prediction:
tinyurl.com/psamt294
Data Products:
tinyurl.com/2ff7eavb
loading . . .
Genetic predictors of GLP1 receptor agonist weight loss and side effects - Nature
Identification of genetic variants associated with the efficacy and side effects of GLP1 medications could underpin development of precision medicine approaches in the treatment of obesity.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10330-z
about 2 months ago
0
9
7
A nice âbehind the paperâ explainer here:
communities.springernature.com/posts/unlock...
loading . . .
Unlocking the Genetics of GLP-1 Medications Through Crowdsourced Science at 23andMe
By pairing a rapid "research flywheel" with large-scale genomic data, 23andMe Research Institute scientists identified GLP1R and GIPR variants associated with some of the variability in individual res...
https://communities.springernature.com/posts/unlocking-the-genetics-of-glp-1-medications-through-crowdsourced-science-at-23andme
about 2 months ago
0
6
1
Delighted to share our latest research from the 23andMe Research Team, just published in
@nature.com
! We looked at data from >27,000 participants to uncover how human genetics influences weight loss efficacy and side effects of GLP-1 medications like semaglutide. A short thread đ§”đ
about 2 months ago
1
86
37
reposted by
Adam Auton
Carl Zimmer
about 2 months ago
Artemis looks back at the home planet.
www.nasa.gov/image-articl...
3
79
24
New opportunity at 23andMe Research Institute! We're looking for a new team member to help us build and deliver clinically useful risk prediction models that can be deployed to consumers and clinicians.
23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/23/det...
loading . . .
Scientist/Senior Scientist, Clinical Risk Prediction
23andMe is looking for a quantitative scientist with extensive experience in statistical modeling of human genetics data to join our research team. You will leverage your expertise and work collaborat...
https://23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/23/details/Scientist-Senior-Scientist--Clinical-Risk-Prediction_2026023
2 months ago
0
2
0
Really awesome stuff.
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
0
1
1
reposted by
Adam Auton
Nicholas Mancuso
2 months ago
This paper is bananas. I love everything about this. Such a fantastically smart design, signals popping out like nobody's business.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
loading . . .
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.08.674901v2.abstract
2
37
10
Who is at
#AGBTGM26
?
3 months ago
0
0
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Ryan Hernandez
3 months ago
Science Bluesky is now much better than Science Twitter is⊠but I still miss peak pre-pandemic Science Twitter.
add a skeleton here at some point
2
16
2
reposted by
Adam Auton
Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
3 months ago
Fun news!
@gcbias.bsky.social
and I are teaching a 2-week online population genetics workshop this summer to raise money for the Center for Population Biology at UC Davis. We're trying to gauge interest -- please fill this out if you might be interested! And please share broadly!
loading . . .
Davis Summer Population Genomics Program
Want to learn population genetics? Please fill out this form to indicate your potential interest in a 2-week intensive online summer population genetics course taught by Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra and Graham...
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PqXEKkW_0HXbdge1yXKGXFIf7NDjH72jTfIaEZThHhA/edit
6
140
174
I haven't thought deeply about this, but ... if heritability is the proportion of the variance attributable to genetics, and I remove some variance attributable to "the environment", then should I be surprised that the heritability goes up?
@sashagusevposts.bsky.social
help!?
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
loading . . .
Heritability of intrinsic human life span is about 50% when confounding factors are addressed
How heritable is human life span? If genetic heritability is high, longevity genes can reveal aging mechanisms and inform medicine and public health. However, current estimates of heritability are low...
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187
4 months ago
6
27
4
We're hiring! We're seeking a talented statistical geneticist to join the team. Come work with the greatest genetic dataset in the world, and help shape the 23andMe Research Institute in our nonprofit era!
23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/23/det...
loading . . .
Principal Scientist, Statistical Genetics & AI
With the worldâs largest database of more than eleven million genotyped customers, 23andMe is at the forefront of using human genetics to advance biomedical research and transform healthcare. We are l...
https://23andme.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/23/details/Principal-Scientist--Statistical-Genetics---AI_2026011
4 months ago
0
3
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
David Shiffman, Ph.D. đŠ
5 months ago
Brenna Henn Wanted to Improve Genetic Medicine. Then Her N.I.H. Grant Was Cut.
loading . . .
Brenna Henn Wanted to Improve Genetic Medicine. Then Her N.I.H. Grant Was Cut.
Brenna Henn had a long-term grant to study the genetic diversity of Africans and people of African descent. Then her N.I.H. funding was cut.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/science/trump-lostscience-genetics-henn.html
2
39
21
reposted by
Adam Auton
Andrew Carroll
5 months ago
I've been thinking about the "virtual cell" concept and wanted to write up a few thoughts. Specifically on how I think the prior experience in GWAS informs the most likely way these models will be useful.
andrewcarroll.github.io/2025/12/23/t...
loading . . .
The Virtual Cell Will Be More Like Gwas Than Alphafold
There has been significant discussion recently on the concept of the âvirtual cell.â I want to summarize the key concepts regarding what the field wants from a virtual cell and the challenges we face....
https://andrewcarroll.github.io/2025/12/23/the-virtual-cell-will-be-more-like-GWAS-than-AlphaFold.html
0
37
17
reposted by
Adam Auton
Genetics Society UK
6 months ago
Congratulations to Richard Durbin on being awarded our Genetics Society Medal!
1
83
29
reposted by
Adam Auton
Jeffrey Barrett
6 months ago
Keeping fuel duty at the same level for 15 years, while phasing in a cumbersome-to-implement tax on EV owners seems insane.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
loading . . .
Electric vehicle owners to face pay-per-mile tax
Drivers of electric cars will pay a road charge of 3p per mile, while plug-in hybrid drivers will pay 1.5p per mile from April 2028.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8jw9l7gx92o
3
15
7
reposted by
Adam Auton
AI x Bio Discovery
7 months ago
PRSformer: Disease Prediction from Million-Scale Individual Genotypes
[new] Deep learning w/ neighborhood attention predicts disease from million-scale genotype data by learning genetic interactions.
0
2
2
reposted by
Adam Auton
Sasha Gusev
6 months ago
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short đ§”
loading . . .
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
https://theinfinitesimal.substack.com/p/the-missing-heritability-question?r=43f9ax&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
14
352
189
reposted by
Adam Auton
Simon Fisher
6 months ago
The field has also gained leverage from personal genomics initiatives, as in this study of ~52k adults answering âyesâ to âhave you been diagnosed with dyslexia?â vs >1 million responding ânoâ, which found 42 associated loci + high genetic overlap with directly assessed reading/language skills. 10/n
loading . . .
Discovery of 42 genome-wide significant loci associated with dyslexia - Nature Genetics
Genome-wide analysis of self-reported dyslexia identifies 42 associated loci, including 27 not previously associated with cognitive traits. Dyslexia shows genetic correlation with ambidexterity but no...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01192-y
1
4
2
Delighted to see our method, PRSformer, at
#NeurIPS2025
! PRSformer is AI model for population-scale disease-risk prediction from individual genomes. It lays the groundwork for phenome-wide risk prediction.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
loading . . .
PRSformer: Disease Prediction from Million-Scale Individual Genotypes
Predicting disease risk from DNA presents an unprecedented emerging challenge as biobanks approach population scale sizes (N>106 individuals) with ultra-high-dimensional features (L>105 genotypes). Cu...
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.26.684578v1
7 months ago
1
7
2
reposted by
Adam Auton
bioRxiv Genetics
7 months ago
PRSformer: Disease Prediction from Million-Scale Individual Genotypes
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.26.684578v1
0
2
2
The brilliant Sarah Senk, together with Taiyo Inoue, has just launched a podcast that explores the implications of AI for higher education: My Robot Teacher. Please give it a listen!
#MyRobotTeacher
#HigherEd
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Ta...
loading . . .
How Professors Are Responding to AI: Resistance Is Futile (and Brief) | My Robot Teacher Episode 1
YouTube video by My Robot Teacher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2TaycoMHAQ
11 months ago
0
2
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Newcastle United
about 1 year ago
YOUR 2024/25 CARABAO CUP WINNERS đ
41
1038
251
reposted by
Adam Auton
Brandon Logeman
over 1 year ago
On the x-axis is every human gene, ranked by number of publications containing mention of the gene name. Lots left to discover...
1
4
2
We're hiring a postdoc to help shape our autism research program; please consider applying.
www.23andme.com/careers/jobs...
loading . . .
Postdoc - Autism Research â 23andMe Careers
Read about our mission-based culture, look up open positions and check out the perks of working here.
https://www.23andme.com/careers/jobs/7658947002/
over 1 year ago
0
1
1
reposted by
Adam Auton
Shoa Clarke
over 1 year ago
"the science of extreme longevity continues as an immense joke."
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/o...
loading . . .
Opinion | The Science of Blue Zones and Extreme Longevity Is Deeply Flawed
Some of the claims behind the longest-lived people are simply improbable.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/opinion/extreme-longevity-flawed.html
0
2
2
reposted by
Adam Auton
We're looking for a talented statistical geneticist to come work with us!
www.23andme.com/careers/jobs...
loading . . .
Scientist / Senior Scientist, Statistical Genetics â 23andMe Careers
Read about our mission-based culture, look up open positions and check out the perks of working here.
https://www.23andme.com/careers/jobs/7804002002/
over 1 year ago
0
5
4
We're looking for a talented statistical geneticist to come work with us!
www.23andme.com/careers/jobs...
loading . . .
Scientist / Senior Scientist, Statistical Genetics â 23andMe Careers
Read about our mission-based culture, look up open positions and check out the perks of working here.
https://www.23andme.com/careers/jobs/7804002002/
over 1 year ago
0
5
4
reposted by
Adam Auton
Brent Richards
over 1 year ago
Humans tend to inherently believe that context matters. But context doesnât seem to matter all that much in genetics. Epistasis between mutations doesnât seem to influence their stability in this amazing saturation mutagenesis paper.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
loading . . .
Site-saturation mutagenesis of 500 human protein domains - Nature
Large-scale experimental analysis of Human Domainome 1, a library containing more than 500,000 missense mutation variants across more than 500 human protein domains, reveals that 60% of pathogenic mis...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08370-4
1
19
10
reposted by
Adam Auton
Eric Fauman (he/him)
over 1 year ago
So given that, can you spot the error right at the start of this Wikipedia article on HERC2? "HERC2 is a giant E3 ubiquitin protein ligase, implicated in DNA repair regulation, pigmentation and neurological disorders."
1
1
1
reposted by
Adam Auton
Carlos M Herrera
over 1 year ago
Good news, Altmetric has now started watching BlueSky for mentions of publications. And by the way, provides an easy comparison between this and the old site for a recent preprint of mine which I posted simultaneousl at both. Numbers speak by themselves !
8
845
239
Yesterday was a hard day at 23andMe, and we said goodbye to a number of tremendously talented colleagues. If people have job openings in the genetics space that they'd like me to share with the impacted folks, please do post here.
over 1 year ago
1
3
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD
over 1 year ago
Today seems like a good day to share this Scientific American story on how vaccines have saved more lives throughout history than any other intervention
www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-...
51
2673
1329
Hello
#ASHG
2024!
over 1 year ago
0
1
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Jonathan Pritchard
over 1 year ago
I want to try something new at
#ASHG24
this year: I'm going to block some time on Friday afternoon to meet with any trainees who would be interested to chat on any topic.
1
23
13
reposted by
Adam Auton
Tobias Lenz
over 1 year ago
Long COVID
#GWAS
preprint identifies
#HLA
class II associations |
#23andMe
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
0
4
3
reposted by
Adam Auton
Michel Nivard
over 1 year ago
I made a starter pack full of statistical genetics (adjacent) scientists. it covers all flavours of behaviour, psychiatric, social science and population genetics people. One click follow all of em! let me know if I missed key people!
add a skeleton here at some point
10
47
27
In the latest edition of "Huh, I didn't expect that to work", our latest paper shows that LLMs can outperform existing methods for identifying causal genes in genome-wide association studies.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
loading . . .
Large language models identify causal genes in complex trait GWAS
medRxiv - The Preprint Server for Health Sciences
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.30.24308179v1
almost 2 years ago
2
4
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Randall Munroe
over 2 years ago
I recently made a comic complaining that NASA refuses to listen to my good ideas for improving the Solar System (
xkcd.com/2750
). To my delight, NASAâs Science Mission Directorate has sent me an actual expert panel evaluation of my âflatten the planetsâ proposal! Sadly, they decided not to fund it.
132
5808
1814
reposted by
Adam Auton
Holden Thorp
over 2 years ago
Unfortunately, the rate at which researchers are expressing disdain for the people who do the hard work of scientific publishing, education, policy has increased. It's just validating the critique of academic science as elitist. It needs to stop. Here's my column:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
10
44
32
Science making progress on the important questions!
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
over 2 years ago
0
5
0
reposted by
Adam Auton
Tuuli Lappalainen
over 2 years ago
A real moonshot project in biomedical research would be a decisive legal, regulatory and IT effort to really make data access work for researchers across the world. It's not as sexy as AI, CRISPR, or ginormous sequencing projects, but more transformative and better bang for the buck.
8
51
25
reposted by
Adam Auton
Michael Love
over 2 years ago
Is there a list of evolutionary âmistakesâ but for the genome, not just physiology? That is things that came to be but arenât good for long term fitness
3
3
3
Our paper, showing PRS are predictive of incident disease - not just classifiers of existing disease:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
over 2 years ago
0
6
0
Load more
feeds!
log in