How PossibleGenome works

Last updated: July 6, 2026

PossibleGenome reads the raw DNA file you already own and turns it into a report of traits, health markers, carrier status, drug response, and ancestry. This page explains where the science comes from, how we interpret it, and what it can and cannot tell you.

What we read

You upload the raw genotype file exported from a consumer service such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or FamilyTreeDNA. These files list the alleles you carry at hundreds of thousands of positions in your genome. We read those genotypes directly. We do not run any laboratory test, sequence your genome, or add data of our own.

Where the science comes from

Every result is drawn from curated, public scientific databases, so each interpretation traces back to a primary source. We link these on every trait page so you can read the underlying evidence yourself.

GWAS Catalog — genome-wide association studies linking variants to traits, each backed by published research on PubMed.
ClinVar — clinically reviewed interpretations of variant significance.
CPIC and ClinPGx — expert guidelines for how genetics affects drug response.
The 1000 Genomes Project — how common each variant is across world populations.
PGS Catalog — published polygenic scores that combine many variants into a single estimate.

How we interpret a result

For each variant we identify the effect allele (the version that shifts a trait) and describe what each possible genotype means in plain language. We do not invent effects: descriptions follow the direction and strength reported in the sources above.

Each result carries a confidence rating from one to five stars. Five stars means a well-established, near-Mendelian effect; fewer stars mean the association is weaker or still emerging. We keep the wording honest and avoid deterministic claims.

Consumer files can report a variant on either DNA strand. We normalize every genotype to the standard dbSNP forward orientation before matching, and where a variant is strand-ambiguous we match only the orientation we can be certain of rather than guess.

Panels

Some traits depend on several genes read together. Warfarin dosing, for example, depends on VKORC1, CYP2C9, and CYP4F2 at once. We interpret these as a single panel so the combined result reflects how the genes actually work together, and we note which markers your file did and did not cover.

Polygenic scores and ancestry

Some traits are shaped by thousands of small-effect variants rather than one. For these we use published polygenic scores, which sum many variants into a single estimate of your inherited tendency.

Polygenic scores carry an important limitation: most were developed largely in people of European ancestry, so they are less accurate for other backgrounds. We state the training ancestry on each score's page. A polygenic result is a rough tendency, not a verdict, and lifestyle and environment often matter more.

Population frequencies

When we say how common a variant is, the figures come from the 1000 Genomes Project across global populations. Frequencies describe groups, not individuals, and are there only for context.

Expertise and review

Our interpretations are written and reviewed by a researcher with a PhD in systems biology, the field that studies how genes and molecular networks combine to shape traits. That background is what we bring to reading the evidence: identifying the effect allele, weighing how strong an association is, and translating it into plain language without overstating it.

Before a health-related result is published, it is checked against the primary sources listed above, and it is revisited as that research is updated or superseded. We would rather leave out a claim than assert one the evidence does not clearly support.

This is scientific interpretation of published research, not medical advice. A background in systems biology informs how we read the evidence; it is not a substitute for a clinician. See the limits below.

Last reviewed: July 2026.

What this is not

Your report is for educational and informational purposes only. Genetic insights are probabilistic and based on research that continues to evolve. Nothing here is a medical diagnosis, and it is never a reason to start, stop, or change any treatment. Always consult a qualified professional for medical decisions.

Your data

We analyze your raw DNA file in memory and then discard it. We never store your raw genome. Your report is saved to your account so you can return to it; your raw DNA is not. See our Privacy Policy for details.