How can we use our understanding of human genetic variation to inform our understanding of race and to improve personal and public health?
A wealth of new genetic data supports several broad conclusions about human genetic variation. Most genetic variation is found within major human populations, and genetic variants typically are shared among populations. While these variants differ in their frequencies among populations, very few are found exclusively and commonly in only one specific population (a pattern noted for physical traits more than a century ago by Charles Darwin). Because populations located close to one another tend to share histories and mates, such populations tend to be slightly more similar genetically than are populations from geographically distant locations. A correlation between geographic distance and genetic similarity is found in humans and most other species, and it is unsurprising to biologists. At the same time, it is difficult to delineate precise boundaries between populations, because of our history of migration and mate exchange. For example, there is no clear genetic boundary that separate
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- How might a better understanding of human genetic history help to inform discussions about cultural perspectives on race and their relationship to personal and human health?
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