Diversifying Genomic Studies: UCSC Leads Breakthrough with Human Pangenome

Revolutionizing Genomics: UC Santa Cruz Releases First Draft of Human Pangenome

The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, co-led by biomolecular engineering faculty members Benedict Paten and Karen Miga at UC Santa Cruz, has released the first draft of a human pangenome. The pangenome contains the sequences of 47 individuals of different ancestral backgrounds, providing a more diverse, accurate, and complete reference for genomic studies. This breakthrough will revolutionize targeted healthcare and lead to many clinically impactful discoveries. The team aims to expand the reference to 350 individuals by 2024. This work builds on the Human Genome Project, which started at UC Santa Cruz over 20 years ago, and is a testament to the school's deeply-held commitment to openly sharing access and democratizing the reach of healthcare.

"No matter how accurately you represent one genome, that’s not going to represent all of humanity. Now is a turning point: no longer genomics of the one standard human genome, but genomics for everybody.” — David Haussler, UCSC Genomics Institute Scientific Director

The research includes scientists from around the world, as well as a committee devoted to the ethical and social implications of the research.