Ahead of the 2024 American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) annual meeting, ASHG congratulated and welcomed the 2024–2026 Human Genetics Scholars this August. The scholars include a group of trainees and early career researchers who are recognized for their research accomplishments as well as their commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in human genetics and genomics.
The Human Genetics Scholars Initiative first launched in 2019 with support from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), Biogen, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck & Co, and Roche. As part of the initiative, the new scholars are given the opportunity to engage with leaders across the Society and human genetics and genomics field as well as receive mentorship and professional development.
The scholars will be present at this year’s annual meeting as a part of platform talks or poster presentations. The eight scholars are:
Amber M. Abram, University of Michigan
Abram’s research project investigates genetic counselors’ ability to provide comprehensive and equitable care to incarcerated patients. She is an author of the poster, “Improving Access to High-Quality Healthcare for Incarcerated Patients: The Role of the Genetic Counselor,” which will be presented at the Genetic Counseling, ELSI, Education, and Health Services Research Poster Thursday Session.
Kynon J. Benjamin, PhD, Lieber Institute for Brain Development
Benjamin’s predoctoral studies focused on designing drug delivery and drug development assays, as well as developing bioinformatic pipelines for Angelman syndrome. He is a co-moderator in “Expanding the Table: Considerations for Inclusion in Genetics and Genomics,” and an author of the poster, “A GPU-Accelerated Software for Accurate Molecular QTL Mapping in Admixed Populations,” which will be presented during the Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology Poster Thursday Session.
Razaq Durodoye, Case Western Reserve University
Durodoye’s research focuses on understanding Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic conditions where he hopes to understand, address, and minimize health disparities, especially in minoritized populations. He is an author on the poster, “Deviations from Additivity in APOE4-associated Alzheimer’s Disease,” which will be presented in the Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology Poster Friday Session.
Tania Fabo, Stanford University
Fabo’s current PhD work explores diet-mediated gene-by-environment interactions in colorectal cancer, using a combination of high-throughput functional genomics tools and population-based studies. She is committed to advancing diversity and equity in science and medicine and wants to dedicate her career to helping minorities and those otherwise marginalized by society achieve their full potential. She will be part of the platform talk, “Exploring Gene-by-Environment Interactions in Colorectal Cancer Risk Using Massively Parallel Reporter Assays,” at the Cancer Risk: Novel Genes and Mechanisms Session.
Gabrielle Ferra, University of Washington
At the University of Washington, Ferra is conducting a deep mutational scan of the pharmacogene CYP2D6, which is responsible for the metabolism of approximately 25% of common drugs. Her research is driven by an interest in pharmacogenetics and precision medicine, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes for all. She is an author of the poster, “Deep Mutational Scan of the Pharmacogene CYP2D6 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae,” which will be presented during the Pharmacogenomics Poster Friday session.
JP Flores, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Flores is studying the role of 3D chromatin structure in response to environmental stress. Through this training, he hopes to innovate in both science and social justice efforts. He is an author of the poster, “Hyperosmotic Stress Induces Complete Rewiring of Chromatin Interactions,” which will be presented during the Epigenetics Poster Friday Session.
Renée Fonseca, University of Chicago
Fonseca’s research focuses on developing novel methods to improve polygenic score portability across populations to improve equity in disease risk prediction. She is an author of the poster, “A Novel Method to Build Context-Specific Polygenic Scores Improves Prediction in Complex Human Traits,” which will be presented during the Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology Poster Thursday Session.
Esteban Vazquez-Hidalgo, PhD, Case Western Reserve University
Vazquez-Hidalgo is a postdoctoral scholar who uses his multidisciplinary training in mathematical modeling, computational biology, and genomics to study genetic variation impact on allele-specific expression. He is an advocate for mentoring underrepresented students and developing strategies to support scientists of diverse backgrounds. He is an author of the poster, “Genome-Wide Comparison of Allele-Specific Gene Expression in Non-Hispanic White, African American, Caribbean Hispanic, and Peruvian Population,” which will be presented during the Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology Poster Friday Session.
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