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By Michael Yudell,1* Dorothy Roberts,2 concept in biological research. Some have ar- on racism (i.e., social relations) rather than
Rob DeSalle,3 Sarah Tishkoff2 gued that relevant genetic information can race (i.e., supposed innate biologic predis-
be seen at the racial level (7) and that race position) in the interpretation of racial/
I
n the wake of the sequencing of the is the best proxy we have for examining hu- ethnic ‘effects’” (13); (ii) a failure of scien-
human genome in the early 2000s, ge- man genetic diversity (8, 9). Others have tists to distinguish between self-identified
nome pioneers and social scientists concluded that race is neither a relevant nor racial categories and assigned or assumed
alike called for an end to the use of race accurate way to understand or map human racial categories (14); and (iii) concern over
as a variable in genetic research (1, 2). genetic diversity (10, 11). Still others have ar- “the haphazard use and reporting of racial/
Unfortunately, by some measures, the gued that race-based predictions in clinical ethnic variables in genetic research” (15)
use of race as a biological category has settings, because of the heterogeneous na- and a need to justify use of racial categories
increased in the postgenomic age (3). Al- ture of racial groups, are of questionable use relative to the research questions asked and
though inconsistent definition and use has (12), particularly as the prevalence of admix- methods used (6). Several academic jour-
Published by AAAS
systematic attempts to address these issues claims about the genetic basis of social dif- its biological effects, although fraught with
and the situation has worsened with the ferences between races (20). Finally, the use challenges, remains necessary. Such research
rise of large-scale genetic surveys that use of the race concept in genetics, an issue that is important to understand how structural
race as a tool to stratify these data (17). has vexed natural and social scientists for inequities and discrimination produce health
It is important to distinguish ancestry more than a century, will not be obviated by disparities in socioculturally defined groups.
from a taxonomic notion such as race. Ances- new technologies. Although the low cost of The U.S. National Academies of Sciences,
try is a process-based concept, a statement next-generation sequencing has facilitated ef- Engineering, and Medicine should convene
about an individual’s relationship to other in- forts to sequence hundreds of thousands of a panel of experts from biological sciences,
dividuals in their genealogical history; thus, individuals, adding whole-genome sequences social sciences, and humanities to recom-
it is a very personal understanding of one’s does not negate the fact that racial classifica- mend ways for research into human biologi-
genomic heritage. Race, on the other hand, tions do not make sense in terms of genetics. cal diversity to move past the use of race as a
is a pattern-based concept that has led scien- More than five decades after Dobzhansky tool for classification in both laboratory and
tists and laypersons alike to draw conclusions called on biologists to develop better meth- clinical research. Such an effort would bring
about hierarchical organization of humans, ods for investigating human genetic diversity stakeholders together for a simple goal: to
which connect an individual to a larger pre- (21), biology remains stuck in a paradox that improve the scientific study of human differ-
conceived geographically circumscribed or reflects Dobzhanky’s own struggle with the ence and commonality. The committee would
socially constructed group. race concept: both believing race to be a tool be charged with examining current and his-
Unlike earlier disagreements concern- to elucidate human genetic diversity and be- torical usage of the race concept and ways
ing race and biology, today’s discussions lieving that race is a poorly defined marker current and future technology may improve
generally lack clear ideological and political of that diversity and an imprecise proxy for the study of human genetic diversity; thus,
REFERENCES This article cites 16 articles, 3 of which you can access for free
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