Generating genetic data to help improve Māori and Pasifika health

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-11-04 13:56

New Zealand; International

A lower-cost but high-quality way to sequence DNA in under-represented populations has been designed, which could help improve health for specific groups via genetic profiling - known as ‘precision healthcare'. An NZ-US team tested the method on genomic data from Māori and Pasifika peoples, working collaboratively. Genetic variants are implicated in metabolic disease - such as type 2 diabetes and gout - in Polynesian populations. The authors say their approach could help design precision medicine for Māori and Pasifika, and the field of genetics research needs to better engage diverse populations.

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Other University of Otago, Web page Blog post in te reo Māori

Other Variant Bio, Web page Blog post in English

Journal/
conference: BMC Genomics

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Otago, Variant Bio Inc., Seattle, USA

Funder: Funding T.R.M. was supported by funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand and Lottery Health Research. Acknowledgements We would like to thank the study participants for their contributions. The Pukapukan community based at the Pukapuka Community Centre (Mangere, South Auckland) is thanked. Study recruiters Chris Franklin, Meaghan House, Roddi Laurence, Gabrielle Sexton, and Beula Vincent are thanked. Edana Lord is thanked for technical assistance. We thank Psomagen Inc., and seqWell Inc., for their contributions towards the testing of library preparation kits. We thank members of Variant Bio for their contributions to the project, including Sarah LeBaron von Baeyer at Variant Bio for reviewing the manuscript. The Health Research Council of New Zealand and Lottery Health Research are thanked for funding. Note: Variant Bio is a genomics startup based out of Brooklyn, New York, is attempting to systematize what science previously stumbled upon. The company is focused on the “edges” of human genetic diversity, and has projects underway in Nepal, New Zealand, The Faroe Islands, and Pakistan, with more than eight others in the works.

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