What is the Human Genome Diversity Project?
The HGD Project is an effort by anthropologists, geneticists, doctors, linguists, and other scholars from around the world to document the genetic variation of the human species worldwide. This scientific endeavor is designed to collect information on human genome variation to help us understand the genetic makeup of all of humanity and not just some of its parts. The information will also be used to learn about human biological history, the biological relationships among different human groups, and may be useful in understanding the causes of and determining the treatment of particular human diseases. At this point, the HGD Project is still in its planning stages. Researchers have been collecting genetic data throughout this century from populations around the world, and these data still exist in the scientific literature and individual researchers are continuing such studies. Although its organizers had discussed the Project since 1991, the Project was formally organized only in mid-
