Penn's GGHE and IBI Symposium 2023

On behalf of Drs. Sarah Tishkoff and Marylyn Ritchie, the Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity and the Institute for Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania are co-hosting a Symposium entitled, “Human Genomic Diversity and Medicine: Challenges and Solutions to Reduce Health Disparities”.

The Symposium will be held in-person on Monday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 23 from 12:00PM-4:30PM(EST) in the Smilow Center for Translational Research Auditorium, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104. We offer a virtual option for attendees around the globe. The four themes and speakers for the two-day Symposium are:

Day One:

Theme 1: History of Racial Classifications and Challenges of Use in Genomics Research

1:00 – 1:20PM, Dorothy E. Roberts, JD, (UPenn), “Ending the Legacy of Race and Racism in Genomics Research”
1:20 – 1:40PM, Vence L. Bonham, Jr., JD, (NHGRI, NIH), “Population Descriptors in Genomics Research: Translation to Clinical Care”
1:40 – 2:00PM, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, PhD, (Columbia University) “The Ethics of Inclusion: Conceptions of Diversity in Genomics”

Theme 2: Patterns of Genetic Diversity, Genetic Ancestry, and Implications for Research in Complex Disease

3:00 – 3:20PM, Iain Mathieson, PhD, (UPenn), “What is ancestry?”
3:20 – 3:40PM, John Novembre, PhD, (UChicago), “Patterns and implications of geographic structure in human genetic variation”
3:40 – 4:00PM, Li-San Wang, PhD, (UPenn), “Asian Cohort for Alzheimer's Disease (ACAD)”

Day Two:

Theme 3: The Role of Genetics and Environment on Health Disparities

1:00 – 1:20PM, Scott M. Williams, PhD, (Case Western), “Gene by Environment Interaction and Risk of Gastric Cancer in Honduras”
1:20 – 1:40PM, Francesca Luca, PhD, (Wayne State University), “Genetic and Environmental Determinants of Gene Regulation and Health in Urban Communities"
1:40 – 2:00PM, Genevieve L. Wojcik, PhD, (Johns Hopkins), “Genes, Environment, and Ancestry, Oh My! The Road to Better Estimation of Risk in Admixed Groups”

Theme 4: Systemic Bias and Issues Driving Health Disparities in Electronic Health Records and Biobanks

3:00 – 3:20PM, Akinyemi Oni-Orisan, PharmD, PhD, (UCSF), “Advancing Pharmacogenetics Through a Pharmacoequity Lens”
3:20 – 3:40PM, Dana C. Crawford, PhD, (Case Western), “Health Record Wrangling for Genomics: Challenges and Opportunities for Diverse Populations"
3:40 – 4:00PM, Shefali Setia Verma, PhD, (UPenn), “Empowering Women’s Health through Precision Medicine”

The Symposium is free. Faculty, postdocs, students, and staff are all welcome to attend.