Mexican genome trove could guide medical decisions

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Source: Science Magazine

Original: https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.aef6705?af=R...

Published: 2026-01-22T07:00:22Z

Mexico's National Biobank Database contains over 40,000 blood samples from across the country and represents the first comprehensive genetic map of the Mexican population.[1][2] Researchers analyzed 6,000 samples and identified 1.8 million genetic markers that reflect Mexico's complex genetic history, including contributions from indigenous peoples, Spanish colonizers, and other groups.[1][2] They created an online platform called MexVar that allows doctors to access information about genetic variants relevant to the body's response to drugs in individual Mexican regions.[1] These data should help doctors make treatment decisions and government agencies identify populations at higher risk for certain diseases.[1] Researchers are currently sequencing the whole genomes of 500 samples to study rare genetic variants with medical implications.[1] The Mexican biobank database represents an important contribution to closing the gap in the lack of genetic data from underrepresented populations and may also have a significant impact on genetic research in other parts of Latin America.[2]