Memphis, a city where 64% of the population is Black, now has one of the largest genetic databases of people with African ancestry in the United States.
This winter, researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with the Regeneron Genetics Center, sequenced the DNA of nearly 10,000 children whose families agreed to participate and who have had blood drawn at Le Bonheur since 2015. More than 44% of the participants are of African ancestry.
In the six years since UTHSC and Le Bonheur began their biorepository, researchers have gathered approximately 25,000 parental permissions.
UTHSC’s goal now is to collect 100,000 DNA samples from across the state, including adults. To do so, it is building alliances with East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn., and Regional One Health in Memphis.
Click to read more.