Giving Compass' Take:

• In this Forbes post, Collider Health founder and CEO Tina Woods discusses the future of aging and how technology that promotes longevity will no longer be the purview solely of the ultra-rich.

• What can funders in the health sector do to make sure that innovations in longevity science are geared towards every demographic, leaving no one behind?

• Here's a look at whether genetic counselors should be required for home DNA tests.

At-home DNA testing kits were one of the most fashionable Christmas gifts this year. And with companies like AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe offering kits for as little as $97, it is no wonder they appeal to those with the curiosity to know the most intimate information on themselves and their families.

While DNA testing has reached the mainstream, it is only 15 years since the official completion of the Human Genome Project and the publication of the first genome sequence at a cost of over $3 billion.

But DNA analysis has far more implications for humanity than understanding our genealogical roots or risk of disease. The vast global DNA library resulting from mass genomic profiling is helping us understand how we could extend “longevity”, that is living younger and healthier for longer. It also means the search for the elixir of youth may no longer be the preserve of billionaires but instead be accessible to billions.

Read the full article about understanding longevity and how it affects us all by Tina Woods at Forbes.