7| Anna Lewis — Genomics, polygenic risk scores, genetic ancestry, race & ethics

Genomics is leading a revolution in our understanding of disease. But the ways we pursue genomics research and the use we make of that knowledge demand careful thinking.

Anna is a researcher at The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, she holds a PhD in Systems Biology from Oxford (where we met) and has worked in medtech startups. As someone who has looked at genomics from multiple perspectives, she’s an excellent guide to this rocky terrain.

Anna emphasizes the challenges and importance of polygenic traits and Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS). While they are key tools in understanding and predicting traits, they are subject to misinterpretation and misuse if not properly defined. The concept of 'race' and more recently ‘continental ancestry group’ often used in the calculation of PRSs can lead to misguided or even harmful assumptions, potentially propagating racist ideologies. Instead, Anna suggests the use of Ancestral Recombination Graphs (ARG) to better represent an individual's genetic ancestry.

Through ARG, we can achieve a more scientifically accurate and ethically sound basis for research. As we continue to make leaps in genomics and potentially influence traits like intelligence or strength, the importance of ethical, legal, and social implications becomes increasingly crucial. As we learn to wield our scientific tools, we need to understand how we should use them.

• Anna's Twitter: @ACFLewis
• Show notes on multiverses.xyz
• Anna's website: acflewis.com
• Undark article on genetic ancestry
• Anna et al on getting genetic ancestry right  for science and society