Expert: Ralph Salier - 10/11/2006

Question
What experts should I ask about a question like this?  Can a white male determine if he has any black blood in him through DNA testing?  Can it be determined even if there is 1/10,000 amount of black blood?  I am sorry if I was unable to word this question correctly.

Answer
Hi Rand,

Black and white blood is the same.  Genetically there may be some markers such as some kinds of sickel cell anemia which was endemic to some parts of Africa but even some North Africans can have Sickel Cell.  But generally speaking there are no markers which are "purely" black, white or asian.

On the other hand, there may be some HLA factors or tissue typing which may indicate race but with the admixture of so many cultures in the last 300 years, even these may be difficult to track.