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Genes do not operate in a vacuum, and neither should our research

Nature Genetics volume 53, pages 255–256 (2021)Cite this article

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It’s time for a paradigm shift in the scientific enterprise. Our social responsibilities, especially as stakeholders in a field such as genetics, are central to the responsible conduct of research.

The postgenomic era has ushered in a number of technological advancements, changing our understanding of ourselves and others. One of the most important lessons we have learned from the genetics revolution is that genes do not operate in silos—they act in concert with social and environmental factors. The ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ dichotomy is over. We are now well aware that genes and the environment interact with each other. Even conditions that we might consider to be direct examples of genetic effects are influenced by the environment. For example, sickle-cell anemia is triggered by a mutation in the HBB (β-hemoglobin) gene on chromosome 11. Although having this mutation indicates that you will develop a severe form of sickle-cell disease (SCD), your experience as a person with sickle-cell anemia is shaped by your environment. SCD disproportionately affects African Americans in the United States, meaning that many people with SCD have to “face the consequences of a serious health condition … [and] navigate a society in which the color of their skin is often an unfair disadvantage”1. In other words, although a genetic mutation causes SCD, one’s lifespan and quality of life are affected by the quality of healthcare that one receives. This increased focus on the interplay between genes and the environment signifies a larger and ever-present reality: the environment—including our upbringing, exposures and social structures—matters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford, CA, USA

    Daphne Oluwaseun Martschenko

  2. BlackInGenetics https://www.blackingenetics.com/

    Daphne Oluwaseun Martschenko & Markia Smith

  3. University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Markia Smith

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  1. Daphne Oluwaseun Martschenko
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  2. Markia Smith
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Correspondence to Daphne Oluwaseun Martschenko.

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Martschenko, D.O., Smith, M. Genes do not operate in a vacuum, and neither should our research. Nat Genet 53, 255–256 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-021-00802-5

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