As the era of genomic medicine dawns, large-scale genomics projects are becoming increasingly central to health care advancements. Projects like FinnGen in Finland, the UK Biobank, and the All of Us initiative in the United States are charting new frontiers in precision medicine, enabling researchers to unlock the genetic codes underlying a wide array of diseases. These initiatives collect genetic data from hundreds of thousands of individuals, providing an invaluable resource to identify disease markers and tailor medical treatments to individuals’ genetic makeup. Such projects are not only pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge but are also laying the foundation for a future where treatments are more effective and personalized.
However, in the Global South, large-scale genomics projects are far fewer. Qatar has taken strides with its own Qatar Genome Program, but examples are still limited across Africa and other regions, where genomics research is often constrained by funding, infrastructure, and representation issues. In Africa, where genetic diversity is high but research representation has historically been low, the need for such projects is critical. Without local genomics data, the benefits of precision medicine may largely bypass African populations, further exacerbating global health inequities.
