Making genetic research work better for people with mixed ancestry
Empowering gene discovery and accelerating clinical translation for admixed populations
This project builds new tools to make genetic discoveries and clinical genetic tests more accurate for people with mixed or multiple ancestries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174443 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will develop new statistical methods and software that let people with admixed ancestry be included in rare-variant and complex-trait genetic analyses. They will run these methods on large U.S. datasets such as the All of Us Research Program using cloud-based pipelines so the work can scale across many health traits. The team will use patterns of genetic linkage in admixed genomes to help pinpoint likely causal genes. All software and resources will be shared publicly so other researchers and clinicians can use them.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with mixed or multiple ancestral backgrounds who have provided genetic and health data to U.S. research programs like All of Us would be the most directly relevant group.
Not a fit: Individuals without genetic data in research databases or those whose ancestry is genetically homogeneous may not see immediate benefits from these tools.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could make genetic findings and tests fairer and more accurate for people with mixed ancestry, improving diagnosis, risk prediction, and treatment options.
How similar studies have performed: Prior methods have improved inclusion of some underrepresented groups but have been limited for admixed genomes, so this approach is a novel and needed advance building on earlier work.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Atkinson, Elizabeth Grace — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Atkinson, Elizabeth Grace
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.