Webinar: Ancient Genetic Clues into Modern Human Disease

Name: Webinar: Ancient Genetic Clues into Modern Human Disease
Start: Tue, 10/15/2024 - 10:00 EST
End: Tue, 10/15/2024 - 12:00 EST
Location: National Institute of Health

Event Details

Oct 15, 2024, 10:00 AM — 12:00 PM

Virtual

Background

In its 2020 Strategic Vision, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) identified the need to “elucidate the genetic architecture of the majority of human diseases and traits.” Traditionally used to illuminate human evolution and demography, ancient (>500 years old) and historical (<500 years old) DNA is now being applied towards the origins and biology of human disease.

Goal

This webinar will seek input from the research community on the potential uses of ancient and historical DNA for human health. It will explore the current applications, availability, and geographic distribution of these DNA resources and how they’re used for characterizing the genetic architecture of different diseases and traits. The webinar will also assess the need to more deeply sample ancient and historical DNA both to sufficiently capture the genetic diversity of human populations across space and time and to make stronger inferences about human disease. Towards that end, and to forestall any disparities in biological or medical insights, we want to address the necessity of ethical and equitable frameworks for engaging and partnering with communities and researchers around the world.

The webinar discussion will help NHGRI identify research gaps, responsible practices, and future opportunities as ancient and historical DNA is increasingly used to discern why certain diseases and traits vary across places and populations.

Video Recordings

YouTube Playlist

Agenda

All times in ET.

10:00 a.m. Introduction
10:15 a.m. Panel Introductions
10:30 a.m. Session One: Current Sources and Availability of Ancient and Historical DNA
10:50 a.m. Audience Q&A
10:55 a.m. Break
11:05 a.m. Session Two: Ethical Frameworks for Diversifying Ancient and Historical DNA Resources and Research
11:25 a.m. Audience Q&A
11:30 a.m. Session Three: Applications of Ancient and Historical DNA to Modern Diseases
11:50 a.m. Audience Q&A
11:55 a.m. Closing Remarks
12:00 p.m. End

Questions

There will be a question-and-answer session during the webinar, however, attendees are encouraged to email questions in advance to alexander.arguello@nih.gov.

Panelists

Ávila-Arcos, María

Associate Professor, International Laboratory for Human Genome Research

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Carmi, Shai

Associate Professor, Braun School of Public Health

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Garrison, Nanibaa’

Associate Professor, Institute for Society and Genetics

Vice Chair, Academic Personnel & Development

University of California, Los Angeles

Massilani, Diyendo

Assistant Professor, Genetics, Department of Genetics

Yale University

Mathieson, Iain

Associate Professor, Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine

University of Pennsylvania

Raghavan, Maanasa

Assistant Professor, Department of Human Genetics & Committee on Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology

University of Chicago

Reich, David Emil

Professor, Genetics, Department of Genetics

Harvard Medical School

Ringbauer, Harald

Research Group Leader, Department of Archaeogenetics

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Thompson, Jessica

Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Assistant Curator, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History

Yale University

Tishkoff, Sarah

Professor, Genetics and Biology

Director, Penn Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity

University of Pennsylvania

Contacts

Alexander Arguello, Ph.D.

Program Director
Division of Genome Sciences

Ismail Safi, Pharm.D.

Program Specialist
Division of Genome Sciences

Jake Baroch, B.S.

Scientific Program Analyst
Division of Genome Sciences

Last updated: October 17, 2024