How ExomeDNA Works
ExomeDNA turns your 23andMe or AncestryDNA raw data file into educational interpretation across thousands of genetic traits, grounded in published, peer-reviewed research. This page explains our approach in plain terms — what we do, what the science can and can’t tell you, and how we protect your data.
Educational, not diagnostic. ExomeDNA does not diagnose, treat, cure, or predict disease. Throughout your report, we describe what research suggests and what studies have associated with particular genetic variants — always compared to a general-population baseline, never as a verdict about your health.
Matching the method to the biology
Genetic traits don’t all work the same way, so ExomeDNA doesn’t treat them the same way. Many traits are polygenic — shaped by the combined, weighted contribution of many variants across your genome — and for those we evaluate the relevant variants together and aggregate them into a single, clear result. Others are monogenic, driven by a single well-established variant (traits like alcohol-flush response or lactase persistence), and for those we report that variant directly, grounded in the established science. Matching the method to the underlying biology — rather than forcing every trait into one mold — is what lets your report reflect how the genetics actually works.
Grounded in published research
Every interpretation is anchored to the peer-reviewed scientific literature. We draw on established, openly-recognized research resources, including the GWAS Catalog (NHGRI-EBI), the Open Targets Platform, and peer-reviewed studies indexed in PubMed. In total, our interpretations are built on 822,000+ reported study associations spanning ~2,600 traits. Each trait page cites the specific studies behind it, with their publication identifiers, so you can read the primary research yourself.
Confidence levels you can see
Not all genetic findings are equally well-established. Some rest on large, repeatedly-replicated studies; others on earlier or smaller research. Rather than present everything as equally certain, ExomeDNA grades each trait by the strength and consistency of the research behind it, and surfaces that as a clear confidence level on every result. When the science is still emerging, we say so.
Ancestry-aware results
Genetic associations can differ across population backgrounds, so a result that isn’t placed in the right context can mislead. ExomeDNA adjusts results for population background using established population-genetics methods, and where you’ve shared your ancestry, your results are framed against the most relevant comparison group. Where we can’t, we present a population-average view and tell you that’s what you’re seeing.
An honest limitation: much of the world’s genetic research has historically concentrated on people of European ancestry. That imbalance can affect accuracy for other ancestry groups, and it’s a limitation across the entire field, not just ExomeDNA. We’re transparent about it rather than papering over it, and our database improves as more diverse research is published.
Your raw DNA isn’t stored
Your privacy is built into how the system works, not bolted on afterward. Your raw DNA file is processed transiently and discarded as soon as scoring is complete — we never store or retain your raw genetic data. Only the derived trait results that make up your report are saved to your account. And your raw DNA and gene-level data are never sent to any AI service — only the derived trait scores that power your AI coach. Your genome doesn’t live on our servers.
What this means for you
ExomeDNA is a window into what current research associates with your genetics — a starting point for curiosity and conversation, not a medical diagnosis. Genetics is one influence among many, alongside environment, lifestyle, and chance. As the science advances, your report can grow with it.
For questions about a specific result, every trait page links the studies it’s based on. For how we handle your data, see our Trust Center and Privacy Policy.