Before reaching the market, new drugs are tested in people who voluntarily participate in clinical trials. However, for a new medicine to work in as many people as possible, these drugs should be tested in a patient population that is as diverse as possible. “I think about diversity through the…

In 2020, non-Hispanic Whites made up 57.8 percent of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2021, researchers estimated the proportion of samples from individuals of European ancestry they included in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to be 86.3 percent. Researchers have now published the results of a GWAS…

Broadcast Date: June 10, 2024Time: 8:00 am PT, 11:00 am ET, 17:00 CET VIEW NOW Liquid biopsy research is a promising field of study that can potentially revolutionize the way we detect, diagnose, and treat diseases. Access to relevant specimens is an essential part of any discovery and development research program, but the…

Changes in the diversity of human papillomavirus (HPV) types following vaccination may affect future cervical cancer screening programs, suggests data from a study of different vaccination strategies among communities in Finland. The study’s lead author, Ville Pimenoff, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and Oulu University in Finland, told Inside…

Since the completion of the human genome project, it has been increasingly attractive for researchers to set up biobanks to collect a range of biological samples and carry out large scale genetic and genomic analyses. Relatively rare 20 years ago, there are now estimated to be more than 120 biobanks…

Research led by the University of Verona and the University of Harvard shows the importance of taking human genetic diversity into account when designing gene editing therapies for conditions such as sickle cell disease. A number of different CRISPR genome editing techniques are currently being developed to treat conditions such…

Human history is littered with dramatic changes in populations that have slashed genetic diversity, a genomic study has revealed. More than half of the groups studied worldwide had experienced recent ‘founder events’ in which a small number of people created a new population or the original head count reduced through…

The gut-brain connection has been a fertile area of research for some time and has yielded a plethora of insights into how the microbiome can affect cognition and mental health. Now, a systematic review of research from Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies, published in the journal Heart…

Talking to minority groups and using the information gained to create better targeted recruitment of these population groups into genetic studies and biobanks could help solve some of the known diversity issues with genetic tests, according to researchers. Paul Appelbaum, a Columbia University professor and psychiatrist, and colleagues cite two…

A Brazilian dataset is adding diversity to the international pool. It includes whole-genome sequences from 1,171 highly admixed Brazilians. The data was compiled by researchers affiliated with the Human Genome and Stem-Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) at the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Biosciences (IB-USP) and is posted to the…

Human genetics has advanced enormously over the last twenty years, but it is still being held back by diversity issues. Solving these problems is essential if we are ever to reach true precision medicine for all. Since the completion of the human genome project 20 years ago, the field has…

Plant pigments called flavonoids are found in berries, apples, pears, tea, chocolate, and red wine. Recent research published in the journal Hypertension claims food rich in flavonoids affect the microbial abundance and diversity in our guts, particularly of a class of microbes called Parabacteroides—one of the most predominant bacteria in human intestines. Parabacteroides, the study…

A new online tool to help researchers and clinicians increase awareness and participation in clinical trials on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias has been launched. One key goal with Outreach Pro is to increase participation among traditionally underrepresented communities. “There is a well-recognized need for diversity in clinical trial populations…

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), yesterday unveiled its new strategic plan for genomics—two-and-a-half years in the making—in a paper published in Nature, “Strategic vision for improving human health at The Forefront of Genomics.” Eric Green, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NHGRI, spoke about the process, the results, and how the…

Greater diversity in the gut microbiomes of patients with kidney cancer is linked to better immunotherapy outcomes according to new research from physicians City of Hope and its research affiliate the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). The findings were reported today in the paper “Stool Microbiome Profiling of Patients with…