Originally Published: Vol 8, Num 1 (Fall 2016)
Reference Number: 81.001
The editorial board of the Journal of Genetic Genealogy is pleased to present you with our latest issue, which includes a case study by Joseph Fox III and David Fox that models the use of yDNA in conjunction with a paper trail to assess family trees; a scientific research paper by Doron Yacobi and Felice Bedford with mtDNA evidence for intermarriage between Ashkenazi Jews and non-Jewish Europeans early in the Jewish settlement of Europe; editorials by CeCe Moore, Blaine Bettinger, and Debbie Cruwys Kennett; book and product reviews; and our regular ‘Satiable Curiosity column by Ann Turner.
The genetic genealogy community has benefitted enormously from significant advances in recent years. At the time that our last issue was published in 2011, yDNA STR data and mtDNA sequencing were the prevalent types of genealogical data available. Autosomal DNA for genealogical purposes was in its infancy.
Since that time, atDNA testing has exploded in popularity among genealogists and laypeople — who might be mainly interested in their ethnicity profiles or health information — alike. This growth is evident across all three of the major genealogical testing companies as well as National Geographic’s Genographic project (Figure 1). Also new to the genetic genealogy community since our last issue are targeted SNP testing from YSEQ and the Big YTM test (Family Tree DNA).
These technological advances expand the opportunities for academic and citizen scientists alike to contribute to the field of genetic genealogy. To that end, we are proud to revive JoGG as a venue for communication and the exchange of new ideas. Prospective authors should consult our Instructions for Authors and can submit their completed manuscripts to [email protected]. We are also actively recruiting volunteer peer reviewers, copy editors, and layout people.
Leah Larkin, Ph.D.
Editor
Figure 1. Recent growth in autosomal DNA testing. Data were taken from the edit history of the ISOGG wiki
(http://isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_DNA_testing_comparison_chart). FTDNA, Family Tree DNA; Geno 2.0,
National Geographic Genographic Project 2.0 and NextGeneration projects.