DNA classes at RootsTech London: guest blog

If you are joining us in London for RootsTech this October, now is the time to start organising your schedule! To help you get started, here are some of the many classes on DNA being offered.

Thursday 24 October 2019

 

A General Introduction to DNA Testing for Family History

Thanks to the field of genetic genealogy, individuals can now connect to distant genetic cousins, verify research that has already been done, link into other people family trees, discover the origin of specific family lines, understand the ancient migrations of their early ancestors, and so on. Through this session, I will share basic information about how genetic genealogy works and the tests available to those that would like to add DNA to their genealogy toolbox.

Presenter: Ugo Perego

Time: 9:00 am

Location: Room 4

Exploring Ethnicity Estimates

In this session, we will look at a range of results from all the different testing companies. You will get an understanding of the science behind the calculations so that you will be able to understand what the results actually mean. Although for most people the population percentages are nothing more than an interesting conversation piece, in some cases the results can provide important clues for your family history research.

Presenter: Debbie Kennett

Time: 1:00 pm

Location: S22-A

Using Genetic Genealogy Techniques to Identify an Adoptee's Birth Family

For the past ten years or so, genetic genealogy has proved hugely successful in helping adoptees reconnect with their birth parents, half-siblings, and wider family. This presentation discusses the three key steps in this approach, namely Triangulate Back, Trace Forward, and confirm with Targeted Testing. The application of various tools to this specific 3-step methodology will be illustrated including the Shared cM Tool, DNA Painter, Triangulation techniques using Shared Matches/ICW Matches/Relatives in Common, my own Adoptee Worksheet template, the WATO tool, among others. Ethical issues will be raised for discussion.

Presenter: Maurice Gleeson

Time: 2:00 pm

Location: Room 13

Genetic Genealogy: A Get To Know You Guide

YDNA, mtDNA, and autosomal DNA. Family Tree DNA, 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage and Living DNA. Does three test types + five testing companies = eight times the confusion? In this lecture, we will cover only exactly what you need to know about this exciting science and how it can lead to important discoveries in your family history.

Presenter: Diahan Southard

Time: 3:30 pm

Location: Auditorium

Friday 25 October 2019

How to Use Autosomal DNA to Resolve Historical Paternity Cases

The majority of genealogists are drawn to DNA testing out of curiosity or because they are trying to discover unknown relatives in the ever-growing databases managed by the different DNA testing companies. Still, too few have grasped on the power of genetic data to resolve family history mysteries. With the present session, I will share a summary review of a paternity case that had historians puzzled for nearly 150 years. This father and alleged daughter case was eventually resolved through autosomal DNA testing that required 55 individuals to be tested and nearly 15 years of research.

Presenter: Ugo Perego

Time: 9:00 am

Location: Room 1

 

Using DNA and Historical Research to Extend Your Family Tree

A DNA match in isolation is only one piece of data, and alone is often not useful in pushing past genealogical “brick walls.” This presentation will highlight how DNA matches can often lead to historical records, and how traditional research goes hand-in-hand with DNA to extend and expand family trees. Case studies will highlight specific English (Norfolk, Yorkshire) branches of the presenter’s family tree.

Presenter: Angie Bush

Time: 2:00 pm

Location: Auditorium

Saturday 26 October 2019

DNA Is Dynamite - How to Ignite Your Ancestral Research

This session is aimed at beginners and will give an overview of the basic information required to understand the three main types of DNA tests available for ancestral research. Michelle will explain how each test works and cover the inheritance patterns of the different types of DNA that can be tested including the importance of the X-Chromosome. She will talk attendees through the first steps they should take once their results arrive and provide easy to follow hints and tips on how to get the most out of those results. Practical real-life examples will illustrate how DNA testing can be used to connect with previously unknown cousins, break down brick walls and confirm the accuracy of family trees.

Presenter: Michelle Leonard

Time: 9:00 am

Location: Room 4

Getting Started with DNA

DNA testing is an essential tool for the family historian and has the potential to provide answers which can’t be found from the paper trail alone. The large genetic genealogy databases are helping to reunite long lost cousins and break down long-standing brick walls. But if you’ve not yet tested it can be very confusing trying to decide how a DNA test can help with your research and working out which test you should be taking. In this session you will learn about the three different tests – Y-chromosome DNA, mitochondrial and autosomal DNA – and how you can apply them to your research. The talk will be illustrated with case studies and some inspiring real-life stories

Presenter: Debbie Kennett

Time: 1:00 pm

Location: Auditorium

The Power of Siblings

This session will explore the DNA kits of 5 siblings. They are my Dad's 5 brothers, sadly my Dad passed away many years ago, he was one of 6 boys and I've been lucky enough to work on their 5 kits for my research. The presentation will include some analysis of the 5 kits - how their match lists compare, what matches they have in common, and I will show how I've created a much larger pool of matches for my research by extracting the unique matches from each kit. I will also cover technical aspects and tools we can use when we have sibling kits, for example, visual phasing, chromosome painting and rebuilding genomes (e.g. Lazarus kits and other options). To keep it interesting I will include some slides showing how the brothers all compare - so along with the more technical side of the talk, there will also be some interesting facts and findings from looking at 5 brother's DNA. The objective is to teach the audience about technical tools, help them understand DNA recombination and make them think about whether testing siblings, in their own tree, could help their research.

Presenter: Donna Rutherford

Time: 2:00 pm

Location: Room 13

This is not a complete list of all DNA related classes being offered at RootsTech London, for a full list of classes being offered can be found here.