Type 1 Diabetes Genetic Risk — HLA haplotypes that account for half of all T1D genetic susceptibility, identifying children at 10-20x elevated risk who can now access prevention trials before autoimmunity eliminates beta cell function.
Whole genome sequencing provides complete HLA-DR/DQ typing — the primary genetic determinants of T1D risk — alongside polygenic risk score variants, enabling stratification of at-risk children for prevention programs and screening in the era of teplizumab.
Type 1 Diabetes — Genetic Risk
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which T cell-mediated destruction of pancreatic beta cells results in absolute insulin deficiency. T1D has a strong but complex genetic architecture — heritability is approximately 80%, but penetrance is incomplete, reflecting substantial non-genetic (environmental and infectious) disease modifiers. HLA class II genes account for approximately 40-50% of total T1D genetic risk. The highest-risk HLA haplotype combinations — particularly DR3-DQ2 (HLA-DRB1*03:01-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01) and DR4-DQ8 (HLA-DRB1*04-DQA1*03:01-DQB1*03:02) — confer dramatically elevated lifetime T1D risk when inherited in combination.
Children who are DR3/DR4 compound heterozygous (one DR3-DQ2 haplotype and one DR4-DQ8 haplotype) have an approximately 5-10% lifetime risk of T1D — compared to approximately 0.4% in the general population. First-degree relatives of T1D patients with the DR3/DR4 genotype have even higher absolute risk, approaching 15-25% lifetime. HLA-protective haplotypes — particularly HLA-DRB1*15:02 (DR15) paired with DQ6 — substantially reduce T1D risk even when present alongside risk alleles. Additional non-HLA loci (INS, PTPN22, CTLA4, IL2RA/CD25) contribute modest individual effects but substantial combined polygenic risk.
The 2022 FDA approval of teplizumab (Tzield) — an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody that delayed T1D onset by a median of 2+ years in high-risk individuals with multiple autoantibodies in the TrialNet study — has transformed the clinical utility of T1D genetic risk stratification. High-risk HLA individuals can now be followed with islet autoantibody screening (stage 1 presymptomatic T1D identification), and those with 2+ autoantibodies qualify for teplizumab — the first disease-modifying therapy to delay or potentially prevent clinical T1D. This makes genetic risk stratification in children and siblings of T1D patients directly actionable in a way that was not possible before 2022.
Monogenic diabetes (MODY) — caused by single-gene variants in GCK, HNF1A, HNF4A, and other beta cell transcription factor genes — can mimic early-onset T1D but requires a completely different management approach. Distinguishing T1D from MODY requires complete molecular evaluation.
HLA typing for T1D risk stratification requires high-resolution 4-digit class II allele determination. Whole genome sequencing provides complete HLA-DR/DQ haplotyping alongside polygenic risk score variants and MODY gene evaluation in a single test.
Identifying high-risk HLA enables access to teplizumab prevention — and autoantibody monitoring before symptoms
Teplizumab eligibility requires stage 2 presymptomatic T1D diagnosis — the presence of 2 or more islet autoantibodies and abnormal glucose tolerance. Identifying stage 2 T1D requires systematic autoantibody monitoring, which is targeted toward individuals known to be at elevated genetic risk. Without HLA risk stratification, this monitoring happens only in first-degree relatives of T1D patients (who receive TrialNet screening) — the much larger population of genetically at-risk individuals with no T1D family history is not systematically identified. Whole genome sequencing–based HLA typing can identify these high-risk individuals and prompt autoantibody screening and TrialNet enrollment.
Whole genome sequencing simultaneously evaluates MODY genes — distinguishing T1D from treatable monogenic diabetes
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) — caused by single heterozygous variants in GCK, HNF1A, HNF4A, HNF1B, and other genes — is frequently misdiagnosed as type 1 or type 2 diabetes. MODY accounts for approximately 1-2% of all diabetes diagnoses but may represent up to 5-10% of young-onset diabetes cases. The clinical distinction is critical: GCK-MODY typically requires no treatment; HNF1A and HNF4A-MODY are exquisitely sensitive to sulfonylureas and may not require insulin. Whole genome sequencing evaluates HLA haplotypes for T1D risk alongside complete MODY gene panel sequencing — a combination that resolves the diagnostic ambiguity in atypical young-onset diabetes presentations.
Your full DNA (not just a part of it)
Traditional genetic testing looks at narrow sets of genes, missing most parts of your genome. We sequence your full genome — every gene and every region between genes.
Comprehensive insights and specialized reports
Easy to read and with answers you and your doctor can act on. Not a file to interpret — 200+ clinical reports, organized by category.
Your test becomes more valuable every year
Your DNA does not change, but genome science is accelerating. Every month, new variant-disease associations are discovered. We validate these findings and update your reports automatically. Your test becomes more valuable every year.
The results doctors bring to their hardest cases.
Forty years of uncertainty. One test.
A patient had spent decades in the UK healthcare system without a diagnosis. Dante data, accepted by NHS clinical teams at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, identified Noonan Syndrome and a RUNX1 leukemia-associated variant that had gone undetected. After 40 years, they finally had an answer.
A complete read delivers a complete picture.
A patient came to Dante to investigate periodic paralysis. Reading the complete genome identified a concurrent hereditary cardiac finding — Brugada syndrome — that their doctor confirmed with an ECG. The result also explained a family member's unresolved cardiac history. One test. Every answer in it.
Sequenced in 2019. The data worked in 2021.
Jennifer sequenced her genome with Dante two years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When treatment began, Dante's pharmacogenomics data showed her prescribed chemotherapy would cause serious adverse effects. Her doctor selected an alternative — and she started effective treatment from day one.
Every genetic question deserves a complete answer.
Whether you are searching for answers today or protecting your health for tomorrow, a complete read of your entire genome is the only place to start.
It runs in your family. Now you can know if it runs in your genes.
Your genome contains inherited variants associated with medical conditions like cardiac, cancer, and neurological. We read all of them — with the clinical depth to give the result meaning.
Learn more →When traditional lab tests say you're fine. And you know you're not.
Standard diagnostic tests check for a pre-selected set of answers. We sequence your full DNA — including parts that no test was designed to check. If the answer is in your genome, we will help you find it.
Learn more →Your diagnosis may be right. Your treatment plan may be incomplete.
Your genes determine which treatments are most likely to work — and which are not. We give your doctor the tools and insights to inform your treatment plan.
Learn more →You want to know before something forces the question.
Some people don't wait for a diagnosis or a family history to act. Whole genome sequencing gives you the complete genetic picture now — so you and your doctor can make informed decisions before anything becomes urgent.
Learn more →You already took a DNA test. Here's what it couldn't tell you.
Most consumer DNA tests read less than 0.1% of your genome. We read all of it.
Learn more →Clinical-grade results. Chosen by individuals, trusted by doctors for their most complex cases.
Dante Genome Test helped specialists at a UK national acute hospital in the identification of Noonan Syndrome and a rare leukemia-associated genetic variant that had gone undetected. That result changed the medical care of the patient.
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Common questions about whole genome sequencing.
What is the difference between whole genome sequencing and a targeted genetic test?
Targeted genetic tests — including standard hereditary cancer panels — read a pre-defined list of known variants in a specific set of genes. They are designed to find what they already know to look for. Whole genome sequencing reads your entire genome: all 6 billion base pairs, every gene, every region between genes. A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Oncology found that standard testing guidelines missed more than half of patients with inherited cancer mutations. Genome Test does not have a fixed list.
What will I receive when my results are ready?
Your Dante Genome delivers 200+ physician-ready reports organized by clinical category — hereditary cancer, cardiac conditions, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, carrier status, and more. Reports are delivered to your secure Genome Manager and are formatted for direct clinical use. Your genome data is permanently retained and re-analyzed automatically as science advances.
What happens if a clinically significant variant is found?
If a pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant is identified, it will be clearly flagged in your physician-ready report with clinical context, published evidence, and recommended next steps. We recommend sharing any clinically significant finding with your physician or a genetic counselor, who can guide decisions about surveillance, risk reduction, or cascade testing for family members.
How is this different from a consumer DNA test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA?
Consumer DNA tests use genotyping chips that read less than 0.1% of your genome — a tiny pre-selected set of common variants. They are optimized for ancestry and population-level traits, not clinical genetic findings. The Dante Genome Test sequences 100% of your genome at 30X coverage, the same standard used in clinical diagnostic settings. The two tests are not comparable in scope, methodology, or clinical utility.
How long does it take to get results, and how are they delivered?
Your collection kit ships within 48 hours of ordering. Once your sample arrives at our CLIA-certified laboratory, sequencing and analysis takes 6–8 weeks. Results are delivered securely to your Genome Manager, where you can access your reports, share them with your physician, and receive automatic updates as new findings are validated against your genome.
We work with patient advocacy groups worldwide.
Dante Labs works with patient advocacy groups of any size — for Type 1 Diabetes — Genetic Risk and other conditions, rare and common. We support groups in any country, including virtual patient advocacy groups.
We can provide customized reports, group discounts, and packages tailored for your members. Please reach out using the form and we'll be in touch within two business days.
- Custom genomic reports for your members
- Group discounts and tailored packages
- Any country — including virtual groups
- Rare and common conditions covered
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We'll be in touch within 2 business days. To follow up directly: hello@dantelabs.com
One test.
A lifetime of answers.
One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. 200+ physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.
Ships within 48 hours · Results in 6–8 weeks
