Penn Bioethics Seminar Series: Bege Dauda, PhD

Getting Genetic Ancestry Right for Science and Society
 

Bege Dauda, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Via Zoom. Register in advance:
https://upenn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAoduiupjsuEtJFH6RxTEKXUmEDs7TBh-nY

Abstract: The concept of genetic ancestry is rising in importance both within and outside of genetics. Within genetics, we worry that polygenic risk scores have differential performance by ancestry. And across biomedicine, as the use of race as a biological variable is exposed and critiqued, many propose turning to genetic ancestry to understand human biological difference. Unfortunately, the dominant conceptualization of genetic ancestry is of continental ancestry categories. This is an oversimplification of the science. And it is a dangerous oversimplification because of the striking resemblance of continental ancestry categories to racial categories. At this moment when various stakeholders are looking to genetics to help us move beyond biologically understood race, genetics needs to move beyond continental ancestry categories.

For more information, contact Mary Pham, Mary.Pham@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.