The emergence of genomic research in Africa and new frameworks for equity in biomedical research

Abstract

Individuals with African ancestry have the greatest genomic diversity in the world, yet they have been underrepresented in genomic research. To advance our understanding of human biology and our ability to trace human history, we must include more samples from Africans in genomic research. Additionally, inclusion of more samples from participants of recent African descent is imperative to provide equitable health care as genomics is increasingly used for diagnosis, treatment, and to understand disease risk. The Human Heredity and Health in Africa initiative (H3Africa) seeks to expand the number of Africans included in genomic research and to do so by expanding the research capacity on the continent. In this article, we discuss how H3Africa is endeavoring to achieve these goals while promoting equitable research collaborations.