Empowering individuals with direct access to their genetic information is crucial for both personal health management and advancing equitable research. In this episode, Joyce Tung, Vice President of Research for 23andMe, discusses the importance of diverse genetic research, highlighting the need to move beyond studies predominantly focused on people of European ancestry. She explains that because biological insights can vary across populations, inclusive research is vital for ensuring that advancements in genetic knowledge benefit everyone. 23andMe is actively addressing this disparity through partnerships with community-serving groups, such as the Morehouse School of Medicine, to promote research participation across diverse communities. Joyce also shares that the company is also leveraging its large database to uncover important health associations, such as recent findings on sickle cell trait across different ancestries. Tune in and learn how the company's direct-to-consumer approach is transforming healthcare by empowering individuals to manage their own health data and choices!
About Joyce Tung:
Joyce Tung, Ph.D., is the Vice President of Research at 23andMe, where she has been since 2007. She leads the research team responsible for consumer health and ancestry research, academic and industry collaborations, computational analyses for therapeutics, and the development of new research methods and tools. Prior to her work at 23andMe, Joyce was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, where she focused on the genetics of mouse and human pigmentation. She earned her Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of California, San Francisco, where she was also a National Science Foundation graduate research fellow. Joyce's leadership at 23andMe has been instrumental in advancing genetic research and innovation in both consumer health and scientific development.
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