The Rise and Importance of Population-Scale Genome Programs

Contributed Commentary by Asha S. Collins, PhD, DNAnexus

September 20, 2024 | With the wealth of population-scale projects going on, we have entered a golden age of genomics. Based on efforts such as the All of Us program in the U.S. and the UK Biobank, among many others, we are poised to discover more than we ever knew about natural genetic diversity, what’s considered “normal” human biology, and the continuum of health and disease.

It’s also worth noting the sheer magnitude of people volunteering to participate in these projects. With so much news about the erosion of trust in science and institutions, the enrollment numbers in these population-scale studies provide a much-needed...