Sequences of African Genomes Highlights Long-Overlooked Diversity

An analysis of more than 400 human genomes from residents of 13 African countries presented at this week’s annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics greatly expands our species’ cataloged genetic diversity.

Written byJef Akst

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Human genome sequences from 50 ethnolinguistic groups across more than a dozen African countries reveal insights that studies focused mainly on Europeans are unable to capture.

Often scientists will include some African genomes to supplement their large European sample sizes for studies of human genetics, particularly in the context of disease, but the new research, presented this week (October 15) at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), shows how “woefully inadequate” this approach is, Baylor College of Medicine genomicist Neil Hanchard, who led one of the studies, tells STAT. “There is so much genetic diversity across the African continent, if you sample from just one or two ethnolinguistic groups you know something about one or two groups.”

Lack of ethnic diversity in global genome databases has long been a source of discussion in the scientific community. Africans in particular are underrepresented ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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