Approved Research

Advancing Genomics for Diverse and Admixed Populations

Lay summary

In recent years, genomic studies have been able to identify genetic variants associated with important complex traits which can inform precision medicine. However, these studies have mainly included people of European ancestry, and individuals of other ancestry are still greatly underrepresented in genetic research. Diversifying genomic studies is critical to ensure that the benefits of these findings are shared beyond European populations.

We aim to build and test tools to better study the genetics of complex traits in diverse populations. This addresses two main barriers that currently prevent broader inclusion in genomics: the lack of analytical methods that are tailored to diverse ancestries, and the lack of analyses conducted that include diverse populations. Our work will improve the clinical utility of large-scale data-collection efforts and begin to address the concerning health disparities that exist across populations.