Shortcut to success? : Negotiating genetic uniqueness in global biomedicine

• Published in: Social Studies of Science
• Main Authors: Tarkkala, Heta, Tupasela, Aaro
• Other Authors: Academic Disciplines of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Research (2010-2017)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications Ltd STM 2019
• Subjects: genetic homogeneity; pharmacogenomics; population branding; population genetics; stratified medicine; LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM; ISOLATED POPULATION; CANCER GENETICS; FINLAND; ANCESTRY; DISEASES; PERSPECTIVE; DIFFERENCE; BIOBANKING; DIVERSITY; 3111 Biomedicine; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/307594

Since the sequencing of the human genome, as well as the completion of the first Human Genome Diversity Project, the benefits of studying one human population over another has been an ongoing debate relating to the replicability of findings in other populations. The leveraging of specific populations into research markets has made headlines in cases such as deCode in Iceland, Quebec Founder Population, and Generation Scotland. In such cases, researchers and policy makers have used the genetic and historical uniqueness of their populations to attract scientific, commercial and political interest. In this article, we explore how in countries with population isolates, such as Finland, the researchers balance considerations relating to the generalization and replicability of findings in small yet unique research populations to global biomedical research interests. This highlights challenges related to forms of competition associated with genetics research markets, as well as what counts as the right' population for genetic research. Peer reviewed