Publication Highlight: The third era of genomics is at risk of being dismantled across the global south

GenPath Africa coordinator Tulio de Oliveira from Stellenbosch University (SU) recently published a commentary on current threats to genomics, especially in the global south.

What is this publication about?

In this commentary, de Oliveira traces the history of the field of genomics up to present day and argues that we are now in a third era of genomics, ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic. This watershed moment led to rapid technological advances and increased genomic sequencing capacities on a global scale, thus transforming the field of genomics and bringing untold advantages with it. However, genomic capacities are at the risk of being dismantled, especially in the global south, and gains made in recent years could quickly vanish if we do not maintain critical infrastructures.

Why is this important?

De Oliveira emphasizes the advantages that genomics can offer and how the use of genomic data, if incorporated in diagnostics, therapies and vaccines, can help protect the health of humans, animals and our planet as a whole. Yet, if genomic capacities are not maintained, we not only risk losing out on the benefits genomics can provide; we also risk amplifying disparities between the global north and global south further. Efforts to preserve genomic capacities must be equally spread to support global development in a field that offers untold potential in a rapidly changing world. 

Tulio de Oliveira. "The third era of genomics is at risk of being dismantled across the global." Science, vol 386, Issue 6718, 10 October 2024. doi:10.1126/science.adt4843