You place your saliva sample in an envelope, seal it carefully, put it in another envelope, and drop it off at the collection point. From that moment, the countdown to receiving your results begins. But what exactly happens after that? How does a bit of saliva turn into a detailed report about your genetics, health, and origins?
We know that waiting sparks curiosity. That's why today we want to take you by the hand on a fascinating journey inside our laboratory.
1. Reception: Your privacy comes first
The first thing we do is scan your kit's barcode.
From this moment on, your personal identity disappears and you become an alphanumeric code. This anonymisation process ensures that the entire analysis is completely blind and that your privacy is 100% protected throughout the entire procedure.
2. DNA Extraction: Separating the genetic gold
In reality, we obtain the genetic information from the cheek mucosa cells that shed naturally and end up in your saliva.
During this phase, we use chemical reagents and centrifugation processes to break down the membranes of these cells and separate the DNA from other proteins and impurities. The result is your pure DNA, ready to be analysed.
3. Amplification: Making millions of copies
Often, the amount of pure DNA we extract from a saliva sample is very small.
To solve this, we move on to the amplification phase. We use special enzymes in a process similar to a molecular photocopier (PCR). We copy your DNA millions of times until we obtain the exact amount our machines need to read it with absolute clarity and without any margin for error.
4. Hybridisation: The magic of the Illumina® chip
Once amplified, your DNA is cut into smaller fragments and applied to an Illumina® Microarray, a highly advanced glass chip containing thousands of different tiny probes.
Think of these probes as puzzle pieces missing their matching pair. When your DNA passes through the chip, its fragments bind (or "hybridise") only with those probes that are their exact genetic matches. Upon binding, they emit a tiny fluorescent signal.
5. Digitalisation and Bioinformatics: From biology to your screen
Finally, the Illumina® chip is inserted into a high-precision scanner. A laser illuminates the chip and reads the fluorescent signals generated in the previous step.
In a matter of seconds, this machine translates those lights into digital data: letters (A, C, T, G) that make up your genetic code. Finally, our team of bioinformaticians and geneticists uses advanced algorithms to analyse all this information, which becomes the personalised and easy-to-understand report you receive in your private area.
So, is this reliable?
We use the latest cutting-edge technology. Illumina® chips are the current gold standard for genotyping worldwide. Furthermore, our laboratory is subject to strict quality controls and international regulations. Every step of the process, from extraction to reading the fluorescence on the chip, has automated verification systems. If a sample does not meet quality standards or does not have a sufficient concentration, the process is halted, and we will request a new sample from you, completely free of charge.
We leave no room for guesswork. Our goal is to offer you genetic information with unquestionable technical precision, so you can take control of your well-being with complete confidence.
Don't leave your well-being to chance. Get your DNA test from tellmeGen and start the most important journey of self-discovery of your life today.
