It's all about me

Icelandic genetics company deCODE has launched an online genetic analysis service for private individuals called deCODEme.

For US$985 (A$1150), subscribers to the service can receive an analysis of over a million key variants across their genomes, accessible through the internet at a secure password-controlled personal account.

"You can learn about your ancestry, about obvious and potentially quirky traits, and whether you have certain genetic variations that are known to be associated with an above or below average risk of certain common diseases," the company's promotional material states.

"You can even decide with family and friends to compare genomes and discover which blocks of DNA code you share. As new discoveries are made, you will receive updates and be able to check your genome against the breakthroughs in the headlines."

deCODE, set up by Stefansson in 1996, has collected DNA from the majority of Iceland's adult population, discovering 15 disease variants over the last decade.

"Just a few short years after the first completed sequencing of a human genome in 2003, it is now possible to analyse on a single computer chip a large proportion of all of the variations in the genome that make each and every one of us unique," Stefansson said in a statement.

"Your genome is yours to discover. In an era when we are encouraged to take greater personal control of our lifestyle and health, we believe we should all have the opportunity to learn what our own genome can tell us about ourselves."

deCODE has webcast the service's launch at www.deCODE.com.