Genes, Race and Medicine -- Part 1
This month's issue of Discovery magazine kicks off a three-part "Learning Series" of articles looking at the way genetics and race influence medical science. Science has already concluded that there is no genetic basis for race -- it's social. Yet, the evolution of the human species has left geographical imprints in DNA that manifests themselves in racial differences. DNA record contains the history of population movement, and by studying our genetic history we will gain new insights into diseases -- some of which may lead to novel new treatments.
This first part of the Discover series looks at the genetic study of African Americans. Africans contain the most genetic diversity today, as it is the site of the human species oldest genes. As Georgia Dunston, geneticist at Howard University in Washington, puts it, "Eleven hours of the total 12 hours on the evolutionary clock was spent in Africa. There's where most human variation occurred." You would think that with such a rich variation and potential available to us, we would be studying the genes of Africans more -- unfortunately, as it is now well known, race is a medical barrier to Africans -- and other non-Europeans, in the world.
The article is a very good read. It briefly delves into the history of race in science, and focuses on the work of Georgia Dunston.
Further reading:
This first part of the Discover series looks at the genetic study of African Americans. Africans contain the most genetic diversity today, as it is the site of the human species oldest genes. As Georgia Dunston, geneticist at Howard University in Washington, puts it, "Eleven hours of the total 12 hours on the evolutionary clock was spent in Africa. There's where most human variation occurred." You would think that with such a rich variation and potential available to us, we would be studying the genes of Africans more -- unfortunately, as it is now well known, race is a medical barrier to Africans -- and other non-Europeans, in the world.
The article is a very good read. It briefly delves into the history of race in science, and focuses on the work of Georgia Dunston.
Further reading:
Genomic Medicine -- Georgia Dunston presentation [PDF] Genetics for the Human Race
The second part of this series can be found here.
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