Meharry Medical College, in collaboration with Regeneron Genetics Center, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, and Roche, has launched an initiative to create the world’s largest genomic database of individuals with African ancestry.

The project aims to collect genetic material from 500,000 participants to develop a new reference genome that better represents Black populations, potentially leading to advancements in medicine and diagnostics.

Meharry Medical College was established between 1876 and 1900 as one of six medical institutions in Tennessee founded to address the critical healthcare and educational needs of African Americans after the Civil War.

During this period, freed slaves faced significant barriers to healthcare, as segregation excluded African Americans from hospitals, and most white physicians refused to serve them. Medical education opportunities were equally scarce, with most institutions denying admission to African-American students.

In response to these challenges, figures like Samuel Meharry and organizations such as the Medical Association of Colored Physicians, Surgeons, Dentists, and Pharmacists (later known as the National Medical Association) worked to establish schools dedicated to training African-American physicians, ensuring access to healthcare and education for a marginalized population.

The Diaspora Human Genomics Institute (DHGI), a nonprofit established by Meharry Medical College, will manage the data collected.

The initiative addresses the significant underrepresentation of African ancestry in genetic research, as less than 2% of current genetic information studied originates from this population.

Participants will be recruited from the Nashville area, other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S., and institutions in Africa, including the University of Zambia. The project plans to enroll volunteers over the next five years, with all information kept anonymous.

The collected data will be stored in a repository at the DHGI and made available exclusively to HBCUs and participating African institutions. Corporate partners will utilize the data for research and the development of medicines and diagnostic tests.

In addition to building the genomic database, the 10-year initiative includes establishing a grant program to support research and education in genomics and related fields at Meharry Medical College. The program also aims to enhance STEM education for grade-school children in diverse communities.

Each pharmaceutical company involved intends to contribute $20 million toward the genetic and educational components of the effort. The initiative seeks to bridge the gap in genetic research representation and improve health outcomes for people of African ancestry.

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