LINCOLN SQUARE — Thanks to affordable and readily available kits, anyone can test their DNA.
But what to do with the results?
Certified genealogist Karen Stanbary will give an overview of the role DNA testing can play for those looking to fill gaps in their family tree, 7 p.m. Thursday at Sulzer Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
"It's highly effective and very useful," Stanbary said. "All people who are interested in genealogy have brick walls they can't get beyond. It breaks through genealogical brick walls."
Where previous DNA tests could only identify links to ancestors on a person's maternal or paternal line, newer tests provide information on both, which has been a boon to amateur genealogists.
But Stanbary had a word of caution for those who think they'll send off a cheek swab and receive a complete family tree in return.
Typical results — provided by one of three major DNA testing resources — will give a person thousands of matches for "genetic cousins," people who share common DNA.
"You still have to do traditional genealogy research," she said. "It's evidence, but it has to be interpreted and analyzed."
Be prepared to expect the unexpected, added Stanbary, whose research for clients has revealed misidentified paternity and unknown half siblings.
"When anyone goes down this path, I say, 'Make sure you understand DNA could uncover surprises,'" she said.
Though television programs such as "Finding Your Roots" have raised the profile of genealogy in recent years, the entertainment industry is tapping into an interest that's existed for a long time, Stanbary said.
"Our ancestors' lives and challenges form who we are," she said. "It helps us find our sense of self."
For those who want to dive even deeper into genetic genealogy, Stanbary teaches a course on the topic at the Newberry Library.
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