Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) Twin doctors at Avera Health in Sioux Falls were the first to join South Dakota's first and only twins register.
Drs. Jen and Kim McKay led the way in this new effort at the Avera Institute for Human Genetics to analyze the DNA of twins. Researchers want to learn more about how much of what a person is is based on genetics and how much based on environment.
Avera Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Gareth Davies says it is the classic 'nature vs nurture' debate and how it can help in the fight against disease.
"So we can determine what role the environment plays and what role genetics plays and then personalize treatment based on that knowledge." says Dr. Davies.
Dr. Davies says twins - or triplets for that matter - throughout the Midwest can register for free. They just swab the mouth for the sample that goes into the register.
Avera does this research in connection with a twins register in the Netherlands. This is an exciting way to compare twins in that part of the world with twins in the Midwest, many of whom have nordic or germanic ancestry.
You can find out more about the twins register and how to be involved at:
http://www.avera.org/mckennan/institute-for-human-genetics/twin-register/
