Comment in 2020

In Africa, there is a disparity in ethics and permission requirements for molecular research on samples from living people versus ancient DNA. At the precipice of the archaeogenomics revolution, heritage agencies require updated policies and procedures for genetic and genomic research on African ancient DNA.

Thirty years on from the launch of the Human Genome Project, Richard Gibbs reflects on the promisesthat this voyage of discovery bore. Its success should be measured by how this project transformed the rules of research, the way of practising biological discovery and the ubiquitous digitization of biological science.

As highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, digital solutions are becoming essential for the provision of clinical genetics services. However, as this Comment emphasizes, the use of digital tools alone can exacerbate genomic and technological disparities and must be balanced with the merits of face-to-face interactions.

Comparative studies struggle to balance technical properties with the need to obtain samples from multiple species. The authors argue for extensive record keeping and reporting of metadata to minimize the effect of confounders and increase the robustness of inferences from these studies.

Direct-to-consumer epigenetic tests have the potential to reveal sensitive information about individuals, such as disease risk and exposure history. Yet regulation lags behind purely genetics-based tests. In this Comment article, the authors discuss the salient ethical and legal considerations of direct-to-consumer epigenetic tests.