23andMe is now owned by Anne Wojcicki’s new non-profit The 23andMe Research Institute. An email has gone out to all of us users (see next page) explaining this, which also makes it clear that the focus will be on discovering the health issues in our DNA. Click here for my previous post on 23andme explaining why Anne has this interest.
While crowd sourcing DNA health issues is certainly a worthy cause, it is not the main interest for many of us. Most of my readers consider genetic genealogy a tool to find relatives and uncover family stories.
How the former chromosome browser at 23andme looked comparing a new match to me and my family
The feature I miss the most at 23andme is the chromosome browser that showed where my genome matched that of my relatives. Because I have collected an excel file of all my father’s matches with notations as to which I or my brother share, I could frequently tell which family line a new match belonged to, even a one segment match with no clear relatives in common. Click here for the blog post where I discuss this.
I no longer recommend testing at 23andme unless you want health results or are an adoptee and thus need to test everywhere.
The next page has the text of the email they have sent all of us users.
Text of the email received in the last several days by all of us who have tested at 23andme:
Thank you for your participation in 23andMe Research. We are reaching out with some exciting news! In July 2025, 23andMe, Inc. was successfully acquired by 23andMe Research Institute, a newly established nonprofit founded by Anne Wojcicki, Co-Founder of 23andMe, Inc.
The 23andMe Research Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization dedicated to helping scientists and non-scientists join together to unravel the mysteries of DNA. With you as a partner, we believe we can accomplish more together than any of us alone. The vision is to apply our knowledge of the human genome for the betterment of all.
What this means for you:
- We are committed to continuously advancing the technology and insights within our products that help you understand who you are and where you come from.
- Nothing about our Research, as outlined in the 23andMe Research Consent Document, has changed.
- You stay in control. Delete your data or opt out of research anytime. You can review and update your consent choice in your Account Settings without affecting your access to the 23andMe product or services.
You can read more about 23andMe Research Institute (formerly TTAM Research Institute) in our recent press release.
If you have any questions or concerns specific to 23andMe Research, have problems changing your consent status, or have a question about participants’ rights, please contact the 23andMe Human Protections Administrator at [email removed].
This is only the beginning!
The 23andMe Research Team