Inclusion & Equity Through Scientific Research
The NYGC is committed to scientific research that translates to discovery, education, and patient care through cutting edge genomics research. Our scientists and investigators are dedicated to inclusion and equity in scientific research.
BD2 Discovery Grant and BD2 Genetics
A major limitation in neuropsychiatric research has been the underrepresentation of individuals of non-European ancestry in genetic studies, hindering the application of findings to populations that suffer disproportionately from adverse mental health outcomes. It is therefore critical that genetics research is inclusive and representative of diverse genetic backgrounds to ensure equitable healthcare advancements.
The NYGC is leading an effort to delineate causal mechanisms of bipolar disorder using scalable functional patient-derived neuron models from populations of African descent, as part of the Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2) Discovery Platform. This project, headed by Dr Thomas Lehner, aims to investigate the biological consequences of common genetic variants, by comparing those with high genetic risk to those with low risk.
Dr. Tarjinder Singh, along with Dr. Thomas Lehner and Dr. Michael Zody, are also part of the recently launched BD2 Genetics Platform. This project, led by collaborators at the Broad Institute and UCLA, aims to sequence one of the largest and most diverse cohorts of people with bipolar disorder, from Africa, Central America, South America, and Asia.
1000 Genomes Project Resequencing
It is a fundamental goal of the NYGC to address the lack of diversity and representation within genomic research, including in researchers, participants, datasets, and biological resources. A demonstrative example is the NYGC’s flagship cancer research program, the Polyethnic-1000 (P-1000), launched in 2018. The P-1000 works to address urgent inequities in the cancer genomic knowledge base by improving racial and ethnic diversity in the available research resources (such as databases and biorepositories) and by defining novel ethnicity-specific mechanisms and biomarkers of therapeutic responsiveness. In doing so, P-1000 takes meaningful steps toward democratizing cancer genomics and clinical care through whole genome sequencing, bioinformatic analysis, clinical research, and community outreach.
