Making genetic risk scores work better for everyone
Enabling improved applicability and transferability of polygenic scores across populations
This project aims to improve genetic risk scores so they can more accurately predict health risks for all Americans, including those from diverse backgrounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11086094 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Genetic risk scores, called polygenic scores, use your DNA to estimate your chances of developing certain health conditions. While these scores show great promise for personalized medicine, they don't currently work equally well for everyone, especially people from different ancestral groups. Our team is working to fix this by bringing together genetic information and health data from many different individuals across the U.S. We want to make sure these important tools are as accurate and fair as possible for all Americans, helping doctors better understand individual health risks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is designed to ultimately benefit patients with conditions like adult-onset diabetes, particularly those from diverse ancestral backgrounds, by improving the accuracy of genetic risk predictions.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate direct medical intervention or treatment will not receive direct benefit from this foundational research project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more accurate and personalized health risk assessments for conditions like adult-onset diabetes, helping doctors provide more tailored care.
How similar studies have performed: While the concept of polygenic scores is established, this project takes a novel approach to systematically address their unequal performance across diverse populations.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Natarajan, Pradeep — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Natarajan, Pradeep
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.