FAQs

About SOMOS
1. What is SOMOS?
SOMOS is a test that determines the genetic ancestry of a person, with a particular emphasis on Latin American ancestry. Our aim is precision medicine for Latinos, we are constantly working on improvements and new reports for health, wellness, disease risk scores, pharmacogenetics and so on.
2. What technology is behind this new service?
SOMOS uses microarray technology to genotype millions of markers from a person. This information is compared with genetic data from populations around the world, including 10+ populations from Latin America, and percentages of ancestry are calculated.
3. What kind of services does this test offer?
SOMOS offers you to know the breakdown of your genetic ancestry, and does not offer any type of medical diagnosis.
4. How will this DNA test help me?
With this DNA test, you can learn more about your origin and that of your most recent ancestors. In the future with the same data we processed from your sample, we will be able to offer you more services associating your genetic information to specific traits.
5. Where do I buy the SOMOS test?
Please visit our store on our website www.somosancestria.com

About the test
1. How do I get tested?
When you purchase the SOMOS test, you will receive a kit with all the necessary instructions to collect a saliva sample, register the test online and mail it back to the laboratory for analysis.
2. Are there any risks?
There is no physical risk related to the saliva sample and the rest of the test.
3. Is there an age limit?
There is no age limit for the ancestry test. But parents need to approve a minor to get tested
4. What is the margin of error?
The methods used to calculate ancestry percentages are robust and have a minimal margin of error. However, the estimates are still approximations and are dependent on the reference panel in this analysis. Another factor that can affect the analysis is the quality of the saliva sample. For example, the presence of food or bacteria can reduce the quantity and quality of DNA that can be extracted from the saliva sample.
5. Are there any medical restrictions that prevent me from having the test?
There are no medical restrictions.
6. Is there a way to track a family member?
At the moment the existence of a relative cannot be traced on the SOMOS platform.
7. Can this test determine paternity?
The SOMOS genetic ancestry test does not determine paternity.
8. Can I give the test as a gift?
Yes. Please visit our store
9. How is the sample obtained?
A person's DNA is obtained from a saliva sample that is sent to the laboratory
10. What are the benefits of other family members taking the test?
If other members of your family take the SOMOS sample, you may learn more about your paternal history, particularly if you are a woman. The analysis of the paternal lineage can only be done in males, so if your father participates, you will be able to know where his paternal ancestors come from.
11. How will my DNA sample be analyzed and processed?
Your sample will be received in the laboratory, where DNA extraction and genotyping will be carried out. This information will then be sent to your personal vault in the cloud and the analyzes will be carried out to determine your ancestry components.
12. What is the relationship between DNA and family trees?
Surnames are inherited at the same time as DNA in most cases.

Results
1. What do my results tell me?
The SOMOS test results will tell you how much of your genome resembles the genome of different populations around the world, as well as the origin of your maternal and paternal lineage.
2. How long does it take to give me the results?
An approximate time of two months is needed after having received your sample in the laboratory. Times can change according to the volume of users requesting for the SOMOS ancestry results
3. How do I get my results?
You will receive an email notificationas soon as your results are ready on the SOMOS digital platform.
4. How will I see my results?
Your results will be available on the SOMOS digital platform and you will be able to see them when you log in to the page with your username and password
5. What is the maternal lineage result?
Mitochondria in our cells are responsible for generating energy, and it has its own genome. This genome is inherited only through the mother and determines your maternal lineage. At the time of fertilization, the ovum is the only one that contributes for such organelles, and it is inherited from mothers to daughters and sons. We can identify mutations in mitochondrial DNA that allow us to trace the history of your maternal ancestors.
6. What is the paternal lineage result?
The human genome is contained in 23 pairs of chromosomes. A pair of these chromosomes determines the sex of each person: XX for women and XY for men. The Y chromosome allows us to trace the paternal lineage through mutations, which is only transmitted from parents to male children.
7. Can family members have different results?
Yes, different percentages depending on the degree of kinship.
8. If I already have my results from another service, can SOMOS re analyze them? Will the test add new and valuable information?
Yes, that is SOMOs key differentiator, we will provide you with a specific breakdown of your Latin American ancestry.
9. How do I read my results?
Although the methods used to calculate these ancestry percentages are robust and have a minimal margin of error, the estimates are still approximations and are dependent on the reference panel in this analysis. These percentages should not be interpreted as direct belonging to the populations used as references, since they only represent how much of your genome resembles the populations used in the analysis and does not imply that you have phenotypes or cultural characteristics of them. It is also possible that certain ancestries are underestimated given the recent relationship that exists between some of the populations in the reference panel. For example, the Jewish population has a contribution from European populations and it is possible that the Jewish component is assigned as European.
10. Why don't my results match what we expected?
Your ancestry results may not match your expectations or the results of other companies. In the first case, by chance, you may not have inherited a large enough fraction of your genome from one of your ancestors for the method we use in this test to identify it in your genetic data. In the second case, the differences between the results of different companies and SOMOS are mainly due to the populations that are part of the reference panel (ALL global populations, not only the Native American populations), to the different methods that we use to calculate the percentages of ancestry and the amount of genetic markers available.
11. My genetic data was generated by another company and analyzed by SOMOS. Can there be differences between my results? Yes Why?
The differences between the results of different companies and SOMOS are mainly due to the populations that are part of our reference panel (ALL populations, not only the Native American populations), to the different methods we use to calculate the percentages of ancestry and the quantity of available genetic markers.
12. Will the global ancestry results detail what information was specifically inherited through my maternal or paternal lineage?
No, these results reflect the contribution to your autosomes by both parents.

Privacy
1. Where are DNA samples analyzed?
Your sample will be received in Diagnomics, Inc., based in San Diego, CA, where DNA extraction and genotype generation will be carried out.
2. Can other users see my results?
No, your results are personal and kept on your individual vault
3. Who will have access to my personal information?
SOMOS Inc., commercially known as SOMOS, and the contractors and/or associates and/or employees and/or service providers and/or analysts and / or researchers and/or affiliates that it designates will have access to my unidentified genetic information and/or individualized, committing to managing it in a manner consistent with our PRIVACY STATEMENT.
4. What happens to my data?
When conducting your genetic ancestry profile test or study, the following information will be collected:
PERSONAL: This being, the information that identifies a specific person or about a person who can be identified (full name, age, sex, etc.)
UNIDENTIFIED AND/OR INDIVIDUALIZED: This being, the genetic information obtained from the elaboration of my genetic profile and that has been stripped of my registration information (name and contact information) without my reasonable identification as an individual being possible.
By becoming a SOMOS partner and sending your biological sample/health/phenotype data, you will always be under control of your data ownership. You can always decide when to stop sharing your data and personal information. Your data will be ciphered, encrypted and stored in individual vaults (only you will have the ability to make decision over your data)
Your unidentified and/or individualized information may be used for any of the following purposes:
Scientific research
and/or analytical research
and/or scientific discoveries (Scientific research, analytical research, scientific discoveries)
Compilation of additional data that from my genetic profile may be obtained for the purposes of: Scientific research, analytical research, scientific discoveries. For research that will be published in scientific journals, or that is sponsored by other organizations.
With SOMOS you can decide when you want to stop sharing your data for any purpose.
5. What are your privacy policies?
Your genetic information is protected, for no reason will it be shared with a third party or any other test will be performed without your consent.
Similarly, we will create a digital, traceable asset (also stored only in your personal vault) from the sample you send to us, it will be stored for future research and it will be destroyed if you ask us to do it so.

Where can I find more information about my privacy?
You can visit our privacy section at the bottom of our site and there you will get more information.