[bioundgrd] 1/16 IAP Science and Society Seminar- Dr. Krystal Tsosie

[Hallie Dowling-Huppert]

Please join us tomorrow for our annual IAP Science and Society talk.  This series is designed to help educate and inform department members about the current and historical intersections of race, gender, and class with scientific research. Specifically, we are interested in exploring this area in terms of how scientific research is conducted, how choices are made about where research efforts and funds are directed, and who benefits from research.  All in the Biology community are welcome to attend this talk.

Genomics for Indigenous Communities and People: Key Considerations
Dr. Krystal Tsosie
Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
Tuesday, January 16th, 12–1pm
68-181
Talk synopsis: The next discoveries in genomic medicine are likely to be rare or uncovered variation from peoples largely absent in current datasets­­. Indigenous peoples—who have long-expressed concerns related to data sharing, privacy, and group risks of re-identification that are unlikely to be resolved in this open data movement—are presented with a catch-22 dilemma. How can Indigenous peoples benefit from clinical genetic testing even though they derive lower clinical utility and encounter severe structural barriers and inequalities to care? How can they also contribute to genomic datasets, if they wanted to, and not be subject to data co-optation and commercialization in innovation pathways that are inaccessible to Indigenous peoples? Geneticists must realize that simply increasing the inclusion of Indigenous peoples in genomic datasets is not going to solve the health inequity problem. Instead, we need drastic shifts in benefit equity and data-decision equity—via machine learning, dynamic consent approaches, and Indigenous community data governance models—to change power imbalances commensurate with the fields’ exploitation of Indigenous peoples’ genomes.



Hallie Dowling-Huppert, M.Ed., pronouns: <https://www.mypronouns.org/>  She/Her
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Department of Biology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
halliedh at mit.edu<mailto:halliedh at mit.edu>
617-715-2448
Office location: 68-323A, working remotely Mondays and Fridays
In-person Office Hours: Wednesdays 12-1 pm and Thursdays 1-2 pm
Zoom link: https://mit.zoom.us/my/halliedh


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