"I’m a chimera with two sets of DNA in my body – I could frame my brother by leaving his donated blood at a crime scene"
- 7 months ago
A woman with TWO sets of DNA in her body says she could frame her brother by leaving blood he donated to her at a crime scene.
Ananya Bashyam, 24, is a 'chimera' as her body is an organism that contains at least two different sets of DNA.
She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a type of blood cancer - in October 2021.
Her brother, Chaitanya, 21, a college student, saved her life by donating bone marrow in July 2023 – transfusing his new cells into her and replacing hers.
This means Ananya now has two sets of DNA – the blood of her brother and the rest of the DNA in her body is hers – also known as a chimera.
She is now recovering from her operation and has two more check-ups to go to confirm if she is cancer free.
Ananya, a former high school science teacher, from Houston, Texas, US, said: “I will forever have two sets of DNA in my body.
She has the DNA of her brother, Chaitanya, 21, after he saved her life by donating bone marrow.
“If I left skin or hair at a crime scene it would come as mine.
“If I left my blood – I could frame my brother.
“It’s really crazy.
“He has actually saved my life.”
Ananya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in October 2021 after she experienced a loss of vision and a fever in September 2021.
She said: “I just froze.
“Part of me knew my life would never be the same after that.
“I was determined to fight my way through it.”
She had six weeks of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and was in remission at the end of 2021.
Unfortunately, Ananya relapsed in March 2022 and was told a bone marrow transplant was her last option.
Luckily for her, her brother was a 100 per cent match and willing to be a donor.
Ananya said: “I feel lucky.
“They got rid of everything in my current immune system.
“Then they took some cells from my little brother.
“They transfused his new cells into me.
“I have my own DNA in my skin and hair.
“My blood cells are my little brother's DNA.”
Ananya had her transplant in July 2023 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, but suffered with graft versus host disease – when the body's existing immune system battles the new cells.
She was able to come home in August 2023 and her immune system is now building itself up.
Once built up her blood type will then show up as her brother's - O negative.
Ananya said: “Your blood type changes.
“You can develop the same allergies a lot of the time as your donor.”
Ananya said sharing DNA with her brother has given them a “deeper” connection.
She said: “He’s my best friend.
“He’s the closest person in the world to me.”
Ananya is also starting medical school next Autumn – something she has always dreamed of.
She said: “This has made me realise what kind of doctor I want to be.
“I’m really excited to use my passion for that and impact people through medicine.”
Ananya Bashyam, 24, is a 'chimera' as her body is an organism that contains at least two different sets of DNA.
She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a type of blood cancer - in October 2021.
Her brother, Chaitanya, 21, a college student, saved her life by donating bone marrow in July 2023 – transfusing his new cells into her and replacing hers.
This means Ananya now has two sets of DNA – the blood of her brother and the rest of the DNA in her body is hers – also known as a chimera.
She is now recovering from her operation and has two more check-ups to go to confirm if she is cancer free.
Ananya, a former high school science teacher, from Houston, Texas, US, said: “I will forever have two sets of DNA in my body.
She has the DNA of her brother, Chaitanya, 21, after he saved her life by donating bone marrow.
“If I left skin or hair at a crime scene it would come as mine.
“If I left my blood – I could frame my brother.
“It’s really crazy.
“He has actually saved my life.”
Ananya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in October 2021 after she experienced a loss of vision and a fever in September 2021.
She said: “I just froze.
“Part of me knew my life would never be the same after that.
“I was determined to fight my way through it.”
She had six weeks of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and was in remission at the end of 2021.
Unfortunately, Ananya relapsed in March 2022 and was told a bone marrow transplant was her last option.
Luckily for her, her brother was a 100 per cent match and willing to be a donor.
Ananya said: “I feel lucky.
“They got rid of everything in my current immune system.
“Then they took some cells from my little brother.
“They transfused his new cells into me.
“I have my own DNA in my skin and hair.
“My blood cells are my little brother's DNA.”
Ananya had her transplant in July 2023 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, but suffered with graft versus host disease – when the body's existing immune system battles the new cells.
She was able to come home in August 2023 and her immune system is now building itself up.
Once built up her blood type will then show up as her brother's - O negative.
Ananya said: “Your blood type changes.
“You can develop the same allergies a lot of the time as your donor.”
Ananya said sharing DNA with her brother has given them a “deeper” connection.
She said: “He’s my best friend.
“He’s the closest person in the world to me.”
Ananya is also starting medical school next Autumn – something she has always dreamed of.
She said: “This has made me realise what kind of doctor I want to be.
“I’m really excited to use my passion for that and impact people through medicine.”