• Scientist examining a lab sample wearing blue gloves and a mask
  • Person writing in notebook at wooden table with jewelry and essential oils
  • Group of three people having a discussion around a table in an office with a whiteboard in the background.

Towards more equitable genomics research

The mission of the Black Genome Project is to understand how genetic research is impacting Black communities in St. Louis and how Black communities value their genomes and genetic data. Using research methods that include members of the community on the research team and through the study of individual people and community culture, we hope to create a space for Black people to understand genetic diversity and to evaluate, learn, and take ownership over the future of genomic medicine. Together with Black communities, we hope that individuals become more empowered and have agency over their genetic health information.

    • Provide Black communities with the education and resources to understand genomics

    • Empower people to use genomic advancement to improve their own health outcomes and help people attain agency over their bodies

    • Eliminate “race as biology” from conversations about human genetics and acknowledge science’s complicated histories with race and racism

    • Develop more accurate understandings about ancestry, heredity, and genetic relatedness for Black communities

    • Explicitly avoid replicating white supremacist thinking and furthering existing social inequities in health and medicine

    • Cultivate a space for collective data ownership that creates a joint ownership model of personal genomics data

    • Share personal stories of community members in multi-modal forms

    • Pilot Survey & Qualitative Study

    • Education & Outreach

    • Recruitment & Data Collection

    • Genomics Research Initiatives

    • Collective Dissemination & Implementation

Meet the team

Black and white portrait of a smiling Dr. Chelsey Carter.
Black and white portrait of a smiling Dr. Brett Maricque

Dr. Chelsey R. Carter

Dr. Brett Maricque

Maame-Owusua Boateng

Imani Myton

Nautica Alexander

Black and white photo.
Black and white photo.
Black and white photo.
Black and white photo.

Adrian Octavious Walker

We want to hear from you.

If you are interested in being part of our project, share a note with us here! Send any questions, thoughts, or ideas — we look forward to discussing them with you!

314-530-8340

mgi-bgp@email.wustl.edu