Nebula Genomics Whole Genome Sequencing

DNA testing has moved into the mainstream, promising customers insights into their histories, health, family trees, and more.

But with those opportunities have come price tags many consumers cannot afford along with privacy concerns.

Now there is a company that is looking to lower costs and enhance privacy for consumers looking to learn more about their genetics.

Nebula Genomics not only vows to protect consumer privacy, but is also conducting more comprehensive testing than competitors.

Does Nebula Genomics measure up to the hype? Let’s check out the features, pros and cons of their Whole Genome Sequencing so that you can make an informed decision.

What is Whole Genome Sequencing?

Nebula Genomics is a company that does DNA testing like Ancestry.com or 23andMe. But it seeks to set itself apart in a variety of ways.

MobiHealthNews quotes Nebula Genomics cofounder Dennis Grishin as explaining, “We hope to really revitalize the whole space by making whole genome sequencing affordable, providing more comprehensive, dynamic user-driven reporting and by addressing privacy concerns that many people have.”

What Makes Nebula Genomics Different?

Here are some of the features which Nebula Genomics boasts over competing companies.

30x Sequencing

Nebula Genomics offers 30x Whole Genome Sequencing. This testing is a lot more comprehensive than that available through other companies.

According to Nebula, the majority of direct-to-consumer DNA test kits on the market only decode 0.02% of your DNA.

You can get 10,000 times that amount of data when you choose Whole Genome Sequencing, which decodes 100% of your DNA.

Reporting and analysis tools receive weekly updates, so you always can get the most cutting edge insights into your data.

Enhanced Privacy

While truly comprehensive testing alone would be a reason to choose Nebula Genomics, for a lot of customers, privacy is an equally big motivator.

In their FAQ, the company explains, “We have the GDPR Privacy Shield certification, we regularly audit the labs of our sequencing partners, and we develop technology to empower our users to stay in control over their personal genomic data. Our work on genomic data privacy has been published in multiple academic journals and is available on our website.”

Grishin expanded on Nebula’s privacy technology while speaking with MobiHealthNews, stating, “We have been deploying blockchain for more than a year, which has such an immutable access control layer that really documents all access permissions you give to the data. So the consumer can say, ‘I will allow access to research for my data’ or ‘I will allow general data sharing’ or ‘I don’t allow it at all.’ So we document things like that on blockchain in a immutable fashion to really create transparency and help build trust.”

This will be a major reassurance to customers who have avoided using other DNA testing companies because they are worried about their sensitive data falling into the wrong hands.

Affordable Insights Into Your Genes

The whole genome sequencing cost may surprise you. To get your sequencing done, you pay $299 upfront.

After that, you pay for a subscription to access your data. The reason there is a subscription service is because Nebula’s advanced reporting system, Nebula Explore, is constantly updated. That way you don’t just see your genetic data, but you see it in context of current scientific knowledge.

As of the time of this writing, you can pay $19.99 per month for a subscription, or $9.99 when you purchase a year at a time.

Alternatively, you can pay for unlimited lifetime access.

At the time I am writing this, the Summer Sale is on, bringing that cost down to just $200.

This is an incredibly good deal when you compare it to what you would get from competitors.

The “VIP” testing service from 23andMe, for example, costs $499 as of the time of this writing.

There have already been major privacy concerns about that company.

So, when you consider that you could pay a roughly comparable price when you go with Nebula Genomics and receive 1-far more detailed information, and 2-protection of your sensitive data, there is no contest.

Nebula Genomics is offering far more value than companies like 23andMe.

Plus, it is hard to say whether a competing company that is willing to compromise your privacy is offering “value” at all.

What Can You Expect from Nebula Explore and Nebula Research Library?

When you pay for a subscription from Nebula, you get access to two services in tandem:

Nebula Explore
Nebula Research Library

Nebula Explore is the reporting service. Nebula Research Library is the associated database of research studies.

What is cool about the Research Library is that Nebula Genomics scientists have vetted all the studies included.

That way, you can skip past the dross you would encounter if you were sifting through studies manually on your own, and get right to what is current and relevant.

You actually can check out the Research Library without subscribing—just take a look at the blog on Nebula’s website.

But once you have a subscription to Nebula Explore, you can effortlessly cross-reference your data and the latest research.

Nebula explains, “For many studies in the Nebula Research Library, we calculate polygenic scores based on your genetic information. Your polygenic score is the collective effect of multiple genetic variants present in your genome. To help you interpret your polygenic scores, we calculate percentiles that tell you how your polygenic scores compare to the polygenic scores of other Nebula Genomics users.”

You can determine based on a high or low percentile how you compare to other users.

That being said, interpreting your score is complicated (which is true regardless of what testing service you choose). Nebula says, “Because our understanding of human genetics remains limited, having a high or low polygenic score does not necessarily mean you are at a significantly greater or lower risk of diseases.”

When you receive your report, you will discover:

Information about your ancestry, including the migration routes associated with your lineage. FamilyTreeDNA collaborates with Nebula to provide this analysis.
Your genetic variants, common and uncommon.
Your polygenic scores (as just discussed) as their possible implications based on the latest research.
Information on any gene you are interested in using the gene analysis tool. Additionally, you can search for genetic variants in your genome using the variant search tool.

Once you pay to access your report, you can download it in full. That means that you only need to pay for a subscription for that initial access.

After that, you can let it lapse, or you can continue to pay for the updated version of your report and analysis.

Alternately, you can always let the subscription lapse for now, and then pay again later when you want an up-to-date report.

How Fast Do You Get Results from Nebula Genomics?

Nebula Genomics offers a fast turnaround time. In two weeks or less after you place your order, you should receive your DNA kit.

Once you send in your samples, it takes about 8 to 10 weeks for the company to complete the sequencing and make the report available to you.

Does Nebula Genomics Have Any Drawbacks?

Some users seem to have difficulty understanding how to interpret the polygenic scores.

Nebula has made some updates to make the scores easier to interpret. The company also has put together a blog post to help customers understand their scores. You can also contact customer support with any questions you might have.

Regarding privacy, customers also need to keep in mind that they may want to take extra steps to ensure total anonymity.

For example, you may not want to put your name and return address on your parcel before sending your test kit to the lab.

This isn’t really a “drawback”—Nebula is doing its part to protect your data—just a precaution regarding the lab. You could feel like it is a drawback if you forget to account for it when you are sending in your kit. Nebula will not disclose your identity to the lab, but if you do it yourself, you will not feel secure.

Pros and Cons of Nebula Genomics

Let’s quickly review the advantages and disadvantages of Nebula Genomics direct-to-consumer DNA testing.

Pros:

Nebula Genomics takes privacy seriously. In fact, you can even pay with a crypto wallet for complete anonymity.
The 30x Whole Genome Sequencing is far more comprehensive than many competing DNA testing services.
Even with the subscription fee, the service is affordable.
You are in full control of your data. Nebula will never share your data without your permission. Furthermore, you can download it in full, so you do not have to keep paying for a subscription unless you want to.
The Nebula Research Library and Nebula Explore analysis and tools add ongoing, up-to-date value if you choose to keep paying for a subscription.
Nebula Genomics runs many promotions, sometimes subtracting hundreds of dollars off the cost of a lifetime subscription. With the right timing, you can snag an amazing deal.

Cons:

You may or may not find the polygenic scores easy to interpret.
How anonymous the process is depends on your decisions, not just the company’s. If you forget this, you could compromise your privacy by mistake.

Decode 100% of Your DNA Now

Are you ready to discover the secrets hidden in your genetic code without risking your privacy?

With Nebula Genomics, you can decode 100% of your DNA while keeping your sensitive data safe and under your control.

To order your DNA test kit from Nebula Genomics now, click here.