South Carolinians can learn more about their health through In Our DNA SC’s no-cost genetic screening. Participants receive confidential information about their genetic risk for certain hereditary cancers and a cause of heart disease, helping them make informed decisions about their health and discuss results with their health care providers.
Participation is simple, and your information is protected through secure privacy safeguards. By taking part, you also contribute to research that may improve personalized care, advance scientific discoveries, and help researchers better understand and treat disease for future generations.
MUSC has teamed up with Helix, a leading population genomics company, to deliver powerful genetic information to you for proactive health care planning.
Curious about your genetic risks? Discover yours with MUSC's In Our DNA SC and help improve health care for generations to come.
Once enrolled, participants will receive genetic health screening for risks of:
Your results will be delivered to your electronic medical record and also available in your optional Helix account. If your results indicate increased risk, you will be offered a no cost genetic counseling appointment. Any additional clinical follow up will not be covered by the study.
Participants may also learn about their genetic ancestry to discover where their ancestors lived, and explore how their genes influence traits like caffeine sensitivity and sleep patterns.
Anyone 18 years and older with no history of allogeneic bone marrow and/or stem cell transplants is eligible to join In Our DNA SC at no cost to you!
Once you have signed the informed consent and provided your sample, you will be able to view your results as they become available. Your genetic ancestry and traits results are typically ready within 2 to 4 weeks of your sample being received by Helix. It can take an additional 2 weeks before your health results are ready to view, as extra steps are taken to ensure your health results are accurate.
Helix will email you as your results become available to view in the Helix online portal if you created a Helix account. To view your results in the Helix online portal, please follow these steps:
Once your health results are available, they will be returned to your medical record and will be available in MyChart, under the “Test Results” tab and listed as “Helix Molecular Screen.” You will receive a MUSC Health MyChart message notification when the results are available.
Your privacy is very important to us, and we take many steps to ensure it is protected, such as:
In Our DNA SC is committed to advancing health research that benefits all South Carolinians. Through community partnerships and expanded access to genetic screening, we aim to empower individuals with actionable health insights and support improved health outcomes across the state.
By ensuring highly representative samples in genomic research, In Our DNA SC is building a healthier future for all South Carolinians - now and for generations to come.
Women who have never been diagnosed with breast cancer, yet know they are at a very high risk of the disease through genetic screening or testing, have options to help reduce their risk of the disease down the road.
