Experts outline ‘landmarks’ for Africa’s DNA research

Stop “parachute” science while boosting communication and investment, researchers urge

Africans must improve community engagement and forge equitable science partnerships with the Global North in order to benefit from genetic research into living and ancient human populations on the continent, according to an expert group.

“The bottom line is that to create the type of equitable and inclusive research landscape we envision, we must invest in entire societies and next-generation scholars,” said Kendra Sirak, a genetics researcher at Harvard University, in a July 11 post on social network X, formerly Twitter.