Solving the Mysteries of the Family Tree: Health Story

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, August 6 and November 26, 2006

Show 321

Roger Cobb Mills was trying to continue the family genealogy research his father had started, when he read about DNA testing. With a single swab of the cheek, it was possible to trace family ancestry for centuries. According to Matthew Kaplan, manager of Human Origins Genotyping Laboratory at the University of Arizona, "Y-chromosome tests trace the ancestors of your father's family." Tests are inexpensive to pricy, ranging between $95 and $350. "Your mother's female ancestry can be traced with the mitochondrial-DNA test." Although somewhat controversial, these tests are wonderful for those who have no knowledge of their heritage. Tests can give an adoptee a good sense of ancestry.