We offer access to ethically sourced human African biospecimens across several therapeutic areas and support researchers interested in leveraging from African bioresources to diversify and advance their genomics and translational research efforts
Mission and Vision
MyAfroDNA’s vision is to ensure that people of African ancestry benefit from advances in translational and genomics research. To achieve this, we are on a mission to build an African biobank that will serve as the ultimate biospecimen resource center for researchers interested in undertaking a wide range of medical research, such as exploring how genetic factors contribute to disease outcomes or variable drug responses. We envision that data generated from MyAfroDNA’s Biobank will lead to novel insights into many diseases, novel therapies, improved health outcomes for African communities and global health improvement. Our biobank is modeled to benefit participants, researchers, providers, African communities, health authorities, and all people.
Patients Benefits
- Return of genetic results could provide insights on health-relevant genes
- Return of genetic results could provide insights on ancestral background
- Opportunity to share genetics results with physicians to improve personalized medicine
- Opportunity to leverage from preventive care based on awareness of genetic risk factors
- Improved diagnoses
- Insights on genetic risks factors
Providers Benefits
- Improved diagnosis
- Reduced cost of providing patient care
- Free access to patient’s genetic record to inform personalized medicine
- Recognition in publications
- Benefit-sharing plan to supports facility improvements
Benefits to african communities
- Insights from reference genomes
- Improved diagnosis and health outcomes
- Reduced healthcare cost
- Increased awareness of genetic risk factors
- Early intervention programs
- Identification of therapeutically relevant targets
Health Authorities and Economy Benefits
- Costly sequencing of published reference genomes no longer needed
- Access population genetic information needed for designing early intervention programs
- Reduced healthcare costs
- Access information for designing genetic policies
- Identify relevant genetic risks factors
Researchers Benefits
- Diversify your research using ethically sourced samples
- Discover novel biomarkers
- Benefit from longitudinal sampling
- Access rare patient populations
- Equalize your drug discovery and development efforts
Novel Insights
Insights on variations in participants’ genetic make up that may determine how they respond to treatment
Reference genomes will be generated for underrepresented African ethnic groups
Better understanding of the interactions between genes, the environment, and lifestyle changes that influence health or cause diseases in underrepresented African communities.
Insights gained from investigating the underrepresented communities can aid towards the identification of new targets for drug development that will lead to novel treatment of many diseases and improved health outcomes.
Support providers and health policy makers in underrepresented communities identify community/familial genetic risk factors which would increase opportunities for early intervention and lead to improve health outcomes.
Support with generating information to improve personalized medicine. For example, identifying genetic markers of variable drug response
Reduced diagnostic errors
Insights on genealogy for participants and African communities
