ACTG Programs

What is Adoptee Connection Through Genome (ACTG)?

ACTG is a non-profit outreach program that is dedicated to help overseas Korean adoptees around the world to find and get connected with their biological families and relatives through DNA testing and genome database mining.

This initiative is hosted by ShareGenome Organization (SGO), located in San Diego, California, a non-profit genome based research and community service institute that was founded in 2015 by scientists, engineers, and volunteers who were interested in human genome research and helping the global community make use of personal genomic information.

Through partnerships with genomic analysis and information companies, ShareGenome can find relatives on all branches of your family tree, and has access to the largest shared Korean genomic database in the world, which serves as a powerful family-finder tool for adoptees looking for their birth parents, family members, and relatives.

How do I participate in the ACTG Program?

Anyone can join ACTG program offered by ShareGenome Organization (SGO).

If you already have genetic information or have used ancestry or genetic testing services in the past, you can download the data from the provider and upload onto our secure ACTG database, free of charge. Every month, we will run your genomic data against the database that we have to find new relatives and family members.

If you do not have any prior experience with genome testing, you can get one by signing up on the ACTG website or choosing from several companies that offer genome wide sequencing or array analysis that covers a good portion of your genomic variation. Companies with genetic analysis platform compatible to our database include Illumina Genome Service (IGN), 23&Me, Ancestry.com, Family Tree DNA, Gene2Me and GenoMatchMe.

For a more cost- effective and seamless experience, ACTG has partnered with Gene2Me from Eone Diagnomics Genome Center (EDGC) in Incheon, South Korea, GenoMatchME from Diagnomics, and Genomics Personalized Health (GPH) in California for genome analysis and data generation. With their generous help and donation to ACTG, you can obtain a genetic testing kit for a highly discounted price or free (limited donation to the adoption organization), and seamlessly integrate your data with ACTG and MyGenomeBox. These companies agreed to take part in our non-profit community outreach initiative and is charging below the basic cost to send, run, and analyze your genome. Therefore, utilizing these companies may be a more cost-effective and easier way to participate in the program. However, where you get your DNA data is completely up to you!

Clicking the "JOIN NOW" button below will connect you with someone from our ACTG team, and will provide you with all the information and resource you need to get started.

* Joining the ACTG program is easy and simple

If you do not have a genome data yet, we can help you with the step by step process of finding the right service provider, and seamlessly connecting with ACTG and MyGenomeBox.

If you already have genome analysis done from any other genetic and genomics companies such as Illumina, 23&Me, Ancestry, FamilyTree DNA, Gene2Me or GenoMatchMe, simply go to company web site and download the data to your computer.

Request us a secure upload link with your contact information, and you will get an e-mail with an simple link to send us the data.

Once we receive your file, we will upload the data into MyGenomeBox, which is one of our partner company for Genome Data Storage and DNA Application in South Korea. You can have an access to the world first DNA app stores with numerous applications that you can start learn and enjoy your genome life.

How we can find a family and relatives using genome data in ACTG?

Our genetic makeup is unique and inherited from our parents and ancestors, and does not change throughout our lifetime. Your DNA has chromosomal markers that can be identified and measured to determine possible links between DNA samples. By running your DNA sample and cross-referencing it against other samples in a database, scientists can find any possible genetic links. This enables them to accurately calculate the distance of genomic variation and be able to estimate how closely you and another person are genetically related.

ShareGenome has the largest number of Korean and Asian ancestry genome database through the collaboration and partnership with Diagnomics, EDGC, Genomics Personalized Health, Dragon Gene and MyGenomeBox. Eone Diagnomics Genome Center and Diagnomics is the two of the twelve initial Illumina Global Screening Array (GSA) Consortium partner that targets to do genome analysis on more than 10 million people in the next two years. EDGC, a South Korean based company located in Songdo, Incheon is the first and only consortium partner in Asia. This sharing resource allows us to compile the largest number of genome data among Asians, including Koreans.

As you can see in the table above, most unrelated people share about 60% of genetic similarity in the highly variable region sequence. However, if you and another person is genetically related, the percentage will increase as your relatedness to that person is increased. For 1st degree relatives like your biological parents and children, you can expect to see a 75% similarity in genetic relatedness. A similarity of about 70% indicates a second degree relative such as a brother or sister, and a similarity of about 68% signifies a third degree relative such as an aunt or an uncle. Using this approach, we can identify up to 5th degree relatives, who are significant enough to help you find your immediate family members.

Do you want to find your parents, family members and close relatives?

You can join the ACTG by clicking the button below .

You will receive a welcome e-mail with an detail instruction.

Relative Calculation based on Genome Distance

ACTG Team

President & Founder of ShareGenome

Dr. Min Seob Lee founded ShareGenome Organization (SGO) to promote people to share their genome and other important information to help people to live healthy and happy. He is a founder and chairman of Diagnomics Inc. and currently taking a responsibility as a CEO in Eone Diagnomics Genome Center (EDGC) in Korea. He also founded MyGenomeBox for the world first integration genome platform that offers DNA App stores on top of the free open consumer genome data management service. Dr. Lee is a world leader in Genomics, Diagnostics and associated applications for personalized and precision medicine. He has extensive experience in the life science industry and research including biotech, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostics companies, with specific expertise in personal genomics, pharmacogenomics, bioinformatics and diagnostic development.

He conducted his post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, and received a Ph.D. from City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute in California.

ACTG Project Leader

Mr Sam MartinMr. Martin has more than a decade of experience in genetics, both in research and in clinical practice as a genetic counselor. He holds a Masters degrees in Genetic Counseling and in Software Design and Engineering. As a Korean adoptee from Busan, South Korea, he has always been fascinated with his own story of how he was abandoned on the streets. His ultimate goal with ACTG is to help reunite Korean adoptees with their biological families.

ShareGenome Project Manager

Ms. Michelle Kira Lee, a project coordinator of NGENI foundation. She is a social media influencer with a heavy science background. Top 10 Fastest Growing Instagram Accounts of 2019. Author on the Transgenerational Effects of Obesogens. DNA App Developer. Lab manager and research student at Blumberg Lab in UCI. VP of Genetic Counseling SIG at UCI. Internship at UCI Pediatrics' Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine. Project Manager at Diagnomics (overseeing launching of Covid - 19 testing) • BA in biology, University of California Irvine.

ACTG Resources & Videos

ACTG FAQ

Q: How long does it take to find a significant relatives in the database?

A: It may take a month or longer. We are running a database quary everymonth with new members againt exisitng genome data set. As the size of the data base is being increased every month, the chance of finding a match is greatly increased as time goes.

Q: How close relatives ACTG can find a match?

A: We can find a match upto 6th degree relatives that is 5th cousion.

Q:What happen if ACTG find a match?

A: We will notify to both parties, that we found your relatives within 6th degree, and ask a permission to be connected each other. If both parties agrees to be connected, we will send e-mails with each other's contact information to both parties.

Q: Wha if one of the parties does not want to be connected?

A: We respect each person's privacy, and not share any contact information unless they agree. We will keep looking for other relatives who want to be connected.

Q: How secure my genome information in the service

A: We are using HIPPA compiant data transfer and storage protocol that is safety standard for any clinical and medical data. MyGenomeBox service is ISO certified Information Security service.

HIPPA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Any company that deals with protected health information (PHI) must ensure that all the required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed.

Information Security Certification of MyGenomeBox

Mygenomebox strives to protect your information safely. Mygenomebox has obtained and maintained the following information security certification to safeguard the information of service users. MyGenomeBox has been verified to meet the requirements of the CSA STAR Certification and certified by the British Standards Institution(BSI) to meet the standard requirements. By acquiring ISO / IEC 27001, 27017, and 27018 certifications, MyGenomeBox has also proven that it performs specialized information protection activities for cloud services. As such, MyGenomeBox has been verified by reputable organizations to ensure that users are more confident about their personal information and are able to use cloud services safely. MyGenomeBox will continue to maintain its information security management system by renewing certification every year through rigorous screening system.

ACTG Consumer Genomics Partners and Sponsors

ACTG is actively working on to expanding partnership to do our ACTG programs. We greatly thank to our partnering companies to achieve our goal to get people connected each other through genome revolution.

Diagnomics is a genomics and bioinformatics company providing solutions for personalized medicine and next generation healthcare, and is located in San Diego, California U.S.A. We are one of the first Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based genomics companies on the West Coast of the U.S., and is made up of scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs including early pioneers in the sequencing of human genomes.Diagnomics has cutting edge genome presentation software as well as genome discovery expertise to guide the development of new therapeutic targets and novel diagnostic tools. Diagnomics technology is recognized and accepted by global leading bio and IT companies such as Illumina and Intel by partnering advancing analysis of NGS data. Diagonomics is CLIA and CAP accredited laboratory that offer GenoMatchMe consumer genetic testing.

Eone Diagnomics Genome Center (EDGC) is a biotech-healthcare company in Songdo Inchon, Korea. Our goal is to provide high quality healthcare products and services to guide personalized medicine based on an individuals' genetic information. EDGC provides various personal genome sequencing and bioinformatics solutions to bio-medical researchers, physicians and individuals seeking to understand the genetic influence of personal health and disease. Led by internationally recognized scientists, physicians and engineers, our team successfully sequenced and analyzed many normal and diseased human genomes including individuals with various cancers and rare genetic diseases.

Genomics Personalized Health (GPH) is a Consumer Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) provider of Application Ready genomic data that can be used with popular third party genomic analysis services and genomic applications currently available on the web. We provide individual consumers, who are interested in preventative health and wellness, the opportunity to get their Whole Genome sequenced for the first time.

We send you an easy to use saliva collection kit, "spit kit", and once it is processed your personal Whole Genome is made available, exclusively to you, in a secure cloud environment. We provide raw genomic data, we do not provide medical advice. The intended use of our Whole Genome Sequencing services is for informational and educational use only.

MyGenomeBox(MGB) is a sharing platform built upon a cloud solution that securely stores your genome and enables you to convert your genome into useful information, utilize 3rd party apps and services, and connect to relevant partners and individuals. We provide a platform in the cloud to securely host your genome “box” online. MGB converts your genomic data into a user friendly “Application Ready” format. Your personal genome information is made available, exclusively to you, in a secure cloud environment ready to interface with popular genomic analysis services and genomic application companies from around the world.

KiraGen is dedicated to help the global community understand and make use of their genetic information to achieve optimized health and happiness. It is your source for knowledge, preventative health and wellness information, and inspiration to improve your health and fitness with personalized genomics. Your genetic makeup and health response is unique, and so should your life style, diet and disease prevention plan. Your unique DNA is the coded manual that holds the secret to optimal health, and Kiragen provides you with all the information and tools necessary to unlock it.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse