INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
groundbreaking study, published in the prestigious journal Science, analyzed complete genomic sequences from over 2,700 Brazilians who
This diversity stems from centuries of mixing between indigenous populations, Portuguese colonizers, enslaved Africans, and later waves of
European and Asian immigrants.The research team identified over 36,000 variants that could potentially affect health outcomes
Pereira, a leading geneticist involved in the study, emphasizes that this research fills a critical gap in genetic science.Most genetic
databases currently overrepresent white European populations, leaving significant blind spots for those with African or indigenous
The majority of Y chromosome lineages (71%) come from European ancestry, while most mitochondrial lineages trace back to African (42%) or
indigenous (35%) origins.This pattern reflects the historical reality of European men having children with indigenous and African women,
often through coercive relationships
Diversity for Precision MedicineThe average Brazilian genetic composition stands at approximately 59-60% European, 27% African, and 13%
indigenous, though these proportions vary significantly by region.The research forms part of the ambitious Genomas Brasil program, which
aims to sequence 100,000 Brazilian genomes
The Brazilian Ministry of Health launched this initiative five years ago with an initial investment of R$8 million.These findings carry
significant implications for healthcare
The newly identified genetic variants, particularly common in those with African or indigenous ancestry, could influence susceptibility to
conditions like hypertension, cancer, and infectious diseases.This knowledge will enable more precise medical treatments tailored to
genetic information to select more effective treatments and identify disease risks earlier, especially for historically understudied
