MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate DNA Day, Khan Academy, the world's online classroom, and 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, are working together to promote the importance of genetics education. 23andMe's Genetics 101 and Human Prehistory 101 video series are now available on KhanAcademy.org.

DNA Day commemorates the day in 1953 when James Watson, Francis Crick, and colleagues published papers in the journal Nature on the structure of DNA.  Additionally, on the same date in 2003 it was declared that the Human Genome Project was very close to complete.

"The paper publications in the Nature journal and the Human Genome Projects are both landmark achievements, and more people should know about them. These events helped launch the field of genetics, and this field is a critical force that will shape our society in the future," said Sal Khan, Founder of Khan Academy.

Khan Academy is changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere. 23andMe is dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools.  The company's Personal Genome Service® enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. Together, the two organizations are celebrating DNA Day by focusing on genetics and what individuals can learn from exploring their own DNA.

"A solid foundation in genetics is increasingly important for everyone," said Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe. "Our understanding of how DNA informs our health and development is advancing at an incredible pace.  This research is critical for adopting a preventative and personalized approach to healthcare. It's also fascinating to better understand what causes the incredible human diversity."

23andMe also partners with high schools, colleges, and universities to improve understanding of genetic information and to foster a dialogue about personalized medicine. For academic classes with a focus on genetics, medicine, human biology, anthropology, or bioethics, 23andMe offers several resources, including its Personal Genome Service® at a significantly reduced rate. You can learn more about 23andMe's Academic program at: www.23andme.com/academic.

Khan Academy currently offers several lessons on genetics that are typically seen in high school or first-year college curriculums, including: An introduction to DNA, Introduction to Heredity, the Hardy-Weinberg Principle, and Punnett Square Fun. All Khan Academy content is available for free at: www.khanacademy.org

About Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. The organization believes that students of all ages should have free access to top-notch educational content and be able to learn and master the content at their own pace.  Khan Academy has delivered over 140 million lessons, and users have completed over 500 million exercises on www.khanacademy.org.

About 23andMe

23andMe, Inc. is a leading personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service® enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. The vision for 23andMe is to personalize healthcare by making and supporting meaningful discoveries through genetic research. 23andMe, Inc., was founded in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science. More information is available at www.23andme.com.

SOURCE 23andMe