Bradford Hill Seminar - The SIREN study at five years: Tracking SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory infections in UK healthcare workers since 2020
2025-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/London) | Institute of Metabolic Science, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
All are invited to the Bradford Hill Seminar:
The SIREN study at five years: Tracking SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory infections in UK healthcare workers since 2020
Victoria Hall
Consultant Epidemiologist, Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infections Division of the UK Health Security Agency (UK HSA)
Register to attend
Please note this will be a free hybrid seminar, with the option to attend in-person (Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR) or virtually (via Zoom).
No registration is required to attend in person.
Register in advance to attend this seminar online at:

https://cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/CoavXVmNQtWN8j8TOFv-rg#/registration

Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Immunity and Reinfection Evaluation (SIREN) study is a prospective cohort study of hospital-based healthcare workers across the UK. It was established in 2020 as a pandemic response study, with over 44,000 healthcare workers recruited from 135 NHS trusts/health boards. The study initially investigated SARS-CoV-2 reinfections and the durability of immunity following infection, and subsequently COVID-19 vaccination. It has expanded its scope to evaluate Winter Pressures on the healthcare workforce, and questions related to immunity more broadly.
SIREN+ has been running since 2024. This has involved collecting data on symptoms and absence from time off work trends in around 5000 participants recruited from the original SIREN cohort. In addition to investigating Winter Pressures, SIREN+ provides an opportunity to address new research questions of public health importance that impact healthcare workers, including the emergence of multidrug resistant organisms and risk factors for healthcare associated infections.
More details on the study and publications from the study can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/siren-study
About Victoria Hall
Victoria Hall is a Consultant Epidemiologist in the Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infections Division of the UK Health Security Agency and has been leading the SIREN study team since 2020. She completed public health speciality training in the East of England and the UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme based in South East and London Regional Field Epidemiology Service. She holds a part-time position at the Institute for Health Informatics, UCL working on research on infections and AMR in care homes with the VIVALDI study.
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - The Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS), aiming to help reduce the delays in cancer diagnosis using transaction data
2025-07-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Institute of Metabolic Science, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
All are invited to the Bradford Hill Seminar:
The Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS), aiming to help reduce the delays in cancer diagnosis using transaction data
Professor James Flanagan
Professor of Cancer Informatics at Imperial College London
Register to attend
Please note this will be a free hybrid seminar, with the option to attend in-person (Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR) or virtually (via Teams).
No registration is required to attend in person.
Register in advance to attend this seminar online at:

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9d02ab32-b2e7-4bdb-9b33-ad126d573679@49a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9

Abstract
The first Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS) project revealed that ovarian cancer patients begin buying over-the-counter medications months before seeing a doctor, suggesting a missed opportunity for earlier diagnosis. This research opens new conversations about how everyday data might support earlier cancer detection, and what it takes for the public to feel comfortable sharing that data.
About Professor Flanagan
Dr James Flanagan, completed his PhD in 2002 at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, and has pursued postdoctoral work in Cancer Genetics, Epigenetics and Cancer Epigenetics. He was awarded a Breast Cancer Campaign Scientific Fellowship (Imperial, 2009-2014) and Senior Lecturer (2014-2019) and is now Reader in Epigenetics (2019-present) in the Division of Cancer, Dept. of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London.
He was awarded the British Association of Cancer Research Translational Researcher Award in 2011 and the prestigious DataIQ award in 2023 for his work using Shopping Loyalty Cards for early detection of ovarian cancer.
He is the principal investigator (PI) for the OCA funded programme “Risk and Prevention” and PI of the CRUK funded project “Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS)” In 2021 he was appointed as the Director of the MRes Cancer Biology.
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - The politics of epidemiology and public health in the UK
2025-10-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Institute of Metabolic Science, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
All are invited to the Bradford Hill Seminar:
The politics of epidemiology and public health in the UK
Professor Danny Dorling
1971 Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford
Register to attend
Please note this will be a free hybrid seminar, with the option to attend in-person (Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR) or virtually (via Zoom).
No registration is required to attend in person, and we strongly engourage you to attend in person if possible.
Register in advance to attend this seminar online at:

https://mrc-epid.zoom.us/meeting/register/Xt6c2C_hR7a2xOFqlKb5Dg

Abstract
We like to present epidemiology as politically neutral, and public health as the science of supporting the health of the population as a whole. This is not necessarily so.
There are always choices to be made. Different academic disciplines have implicit biases and underlying beliefs, which can change over time and differ greatly between contexts. Some of the most obvious examples are between people who prefer individualistic explanations and those who see this as victim blaming.
A lack of attention to certain topics is another form of political bias. Why, for instance, are we in the UK not more concerned about how many people choose and can afford to use private health care and dentistry? Why are we not talking about how life expectancy fell in the UK after 2014? And, to what extent is our epidemiology and public health in the UK in the 2020s a reflection of UK politics?
About Professor Dorling
Danny Dorling works at the University of Oxford. His most recent three books are: “Seven Children”, “Peak Injustice”, and “The Next Crisis”. He works with road crash charity RoadPeace, Heeley City Farm in Sheffield, and the educational campaign group Comprehensive Future
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine
2025-11-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
All are invited to the rescheduled Bradford Hill Seminar:
Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine
Professor Anneke Lucassen
Professor of Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford
Register to attend
Please note this will be a free online seminar,
Register at https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e9735899-dca7-4747-b8e7-78e68fd4505c@49a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9
Abstract
The growing use of genomic data in healthcare aims to balance predictive and diagnostic needs by supporting both disease prevention and clinical decision-making. Yet, the predictive potential of genomic information is frequently overstated, with the genome too often portrayed as a complete “blueprint” for health. Achieving an effective balance remains challenging, as genomic applications in public health prediction and clinical diagnosis continue to operate largely in isolation.
About Professor Lucassen
Professor Anneke Lucassen is Director of the Centre for Personalised Medicine, and a physician who specializes in clinical genetics. She is Professor of Genomic Medicine and consultant in clinical genetics at the University of Oxford (since 2021). She leads a research group at the University of Oxford that explores the clinical ethical, legal and societal issues (CELS) involved in developments in genomics and big data within medicine.
In Oxford, she directs the Centre for Personalised Medicine, an interdisciplinary environment, driving forward a more integrated and personalised approach to medicine and healthcare. Having served as chair of the British Society for Genetic Medicine (BSGM) from 2016 to 2020, Anneke now chairs the ethics advisory committee of UK Biobank and the Joint Committee on Genomics in Medicine (JCGM).
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - From Genes to Public Health: The Journey Continues!
2025-12-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
All are invited to the online Bradford Hill Seminar:
From Genes to Public Health: The Journey Continues!
Dr Muin J. Khoury
Emory University School of Public Health and University of Washington School of Public Health
Register to attend
Please note this will be a free online seminar,
Register at https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a94d948f-ff86-4256-bd91-c14c5adf1841@49a50445-bdfa-4b79-ade3-547b4f3986e9
Abstract
Dr. Muin J. Khoury recently retired from the CDC after a 40-year public health career, including 26 years leading the Office of Public Health Genomics, which he formed in 1998. He contributed to the development of genetic epidemiology, public health genomics, and precision public health; fields that are vital for realising the population health benefits of genome discoveries.
The trajectory from genes to public health is still early but Dr Khoury believes the next 40 years promise to be even more exciting in applying these fields to save lives, prevent disease, and reduce health inequities. Dr Khoury warns that many of the advances in genomics translation and implementation could be unravelled because of the current turmoil and budget cuts in science and public health in the United States. This talk offers his perspective on the evolution and contributions of these fields, and recommendations for increasing their population health impact.
About Dr Muin J. Khoury
Dr Khoury was the founding and only Director (1998-2024, retired) of the Office of Public Health Genomics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), established to assess the public health impact of the Human Genome Project. He is currently an adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, Georgia, and affiliate professor in the Public Health Genetics Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He also serves on the editorial boards of multiple scientific journals.
Dr Khoury holds an M.D., and a Ph.D. in Human Genetics/Genetic Epidemiology. During his 40-year career in public health, he spearheaded numerous national and international initiatives to translate advances in genomics and other technologies into effective, ethical interventions to improve population health and reduce inequities. He has extensively published on genetic epidemiology, public health genomics, and precision public health, including four books, and won multiple scientific and service awards for his contributions to the field.
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - Expanding testing of cancer susceptibility genes from the clinic to the population: exploring the evidence gaps
2026-01-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Institute of Metabolic Science, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
All are invited to the in-person Bradford Hill Seminar:
Expanding testing of cancer susceptibility genes from the clinic to the population: exploring the evidence gaps
Professor Clare Turnbull
Institute of Cancer Research
Register to attend
Please note this will be an in-person (Large Seminar Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR).
Register in advance to attend at:
https://www.phgfoundation.org/upcoming-event/expanding-testing-of-cancer-susceptibility-genes-from-the-clinic-to-the-population-exploring-the-evidence-gaps/
Abstract
Traditionally, clinical genetics services offered ‘reactive’ testing of specific cancer susceptibility genes (CSGs) to those with the corresponding classical presentation. Increasingly, cancer susceptibility gene germline pathogenic variants (CSG-GPVs) are being looked for much more ‘proactively’, including wide germline, tumour and/or ctDNA genomic analyses performed routinely in cancer patients to inform oncological therapeutics, return of secondary findings, direct-to-consumer offerings and population genomic testing programmes. Thus, whilst CSG-GPVs were historically identified reactively in individuals (and their families) who already knew themselves to have ‘extreme’ disease (young onset, syndromic or familial cancers), CSG-GPVs are increasingly being identified proactively in individuals not previously concerned about genetic cancer susceptibility, namely (i) via a ‘routine’ cancer presentation, (ii) coincidental to their presenting cancer or (iii) in the well population. Within this new landscape of assigning many more to individuals to the lifelong implications of being a CSG-GPV-carrier, it is critical to evaluate the robustness of evidence regarding disease penetrance and the efficacy of our interventions for early detection and prevention, to ensure such assignations provide net benefit over harm.
About Professor Clare Turnbull
Clare is Professor of Translational Cancer Genetics in the Division of Genetics and Epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research, London and an NHS consultant in Clinical Cancer Genetics at The Royal Marsden. Her research focuses on statistical, population and public-health-related analyses to inform clinical implementation of cancer susceptibility genetics. Research areas include (i) discovery of novel genes/genomic variants associated with cancer susceptibility (iii) Clinical interpretation of variant pathogenicity (iii) assembly, linkage and longitudinal analyses of routine NHS datasets, including working with NDRS to achieve nationally comprehensive submissions of genetic data from NHS genomic laboratory hubs (iv) evaluation of the clinical utility and impact of genomic risk stratification for cancer early detection and prevention. A key area of focus over the last five years has been working in partnership with CRUK and NHS England Cancer Programme on development of pragmatic, high-throughput pathways for scaling of NHS genomic testing, focusing first on the BRCA genes (including the BRCA-DIRECT North Thames mainstreaming programme, the national NHS Jewish Community BRCA testing programme and the national NHS Retrospective BRCA-testing programme).
Clare studied undergraduate medicine at Cambridge, clinical medicine at Oxford, undertook a Masters in epidemiology and public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in statistical genetics at The Institute of Cancer Research. From 2015 to 2020, Clare worked at Genomics England as Clinical Lead for Cancer Genomics for the 100,000 Genomes Project
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - Leveraging External Data for Testing Experimental Therapies with Biomarker Interactions in Randomized Clinical Trials
2026-02-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Large Downstairs Teaching Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR, United Kingdom
All are invited to the hybrid Bradford Hill Seminar:
Leveraging External Data for Testing Experimental Therapies with Biomarker Interactions in Randomized Clinical Trials
Professor Lorenzo Trippa
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Register to attend
Please note this will be a hybrid event.
Attend in person at: Large Downstairs Teaching Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR.
Register to attend online at: cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/f9LMsIBDQwqxwpWM0Fr9Hw#/registration

Abstract
In oncology the efficacy of novel therapeutics often differs across patient subgroups, and these variations are difficult to predict during the initial phases of the drug development process. The relation between the power of randomized clinical trials and heterogeneous treatment effects has been discussed by several authors. In particular, false negative results are likely to occur when the treatment effects concentrate in a subpopulation but the study design did not account for potential heterogeneous treatment effects. The use of external data from completed clinical studies and electronic health records has the potential to improve decision-making throughout the development of new therapeutics, from early-stage trials to registration.
Here we discuss the use of external data to evaluate experimental treatments with potential heterogeneous treatment effects. We introduce a permutation procedure to test, at the completion of a randomized clinical trial, the null hypothesis that the experimental therapy does not improve the primary outcomes in any subpopulation. The permutation test leverages the available external data to increase power. Also, the procedure controls the false positive rate at the desired 𝛼-level without restrictive assumptions on the external data, for example, in scenarios with unmeasured confounders, different pre-treatment patient profiles in the trial population compared to the external data, and other discrepancies between the trial and the external data. We illustrate that the permutation test is optimal according to an interpretable criteria and discuss examples based on asymptotic results and simulations, followed by a retrospective analysis of individual patient-level data from a collection of glioblastoma clinical trials.
About Professor Trippa
Lorenzo Trippa, PhD, is a professor of biostatistics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His research focuses on statistical methods for clinical trial design, with an emphasis on Bayesian and adaptive approaches, external controls, and precision oncology. Trippa’s work aims to improve the efficiency and reliability of trials in complex settings, particularly in cancer research, and has connects methodological research and applied clinical studies.
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

Bradford Hill Seminar - From Plate to Brain: Global Diet, Cognitive Function and Neuroimaging in Diverse Populations
2026-06-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Institute of Metabolic Science, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
PLEASE NOTE THE DATE AND TIME FOR THE SEMINAR HAS CHANGED
All are invited to the hybrid Bradford Hill Seminar:
From Plate to Brain: Global Diet, Cognitive Function and Neuroimaging in Diverse Populations
Professor Sonia Anand
McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
Register to attend
Please note this is free a hybrid event.
No registration is required to attend in person. The seminar is being held at – Institute of Metabolic Science, Seminar rooms 1/2/3, Level 4, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ.
Register in advance to attend the seminar online – https://mrc-epid.zoom.us/meeting/register/8xel5Gx6RvWXR1q8nlieGg
Abstract
Drawing on findings from the Canadian Alliance for Healthier Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) and the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, this seminar will examine how global dietary patterns influence cognitive performance and brain structure across diverse populations. Dr. Anand will highlight evidence linking diet quality and cardiometabolic risk to cognition and neuroimaging markers of brain health in multi‑ethnic and international cohorts. The presentation will discuss implications for prevention strategies that connect nutrition, vascular health, and brain aging from a global perspective.
About Professor Sonia Anand
Dr. Sonia Anand is a distinguished physician-scientist and global health leader whose work has transformed Canada’s approach to cardiovascular health, health equity, and Indigenous and population health research. She serves as Associate Vice-President of Global Health and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at McMaster University and holds a Heart & Stroke Chair recognizing her national impact. Dr. Anand’s research has revealed how sex, ethnicity, and social determinants influence cardiometabolic risk—shifting practice away from “one-size-fitsall” models toward equity-focused care. Her studies have set new standards for defining obesity, created validated ethnic-specific risk scoring systems, and led to the development and testing of community-based interventions in South Asian and Indigenous populations. Her findings have shaped clinical guidelines, policy frameworks, and global conversations on health equity.
About the Bradford Hill seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and IMS Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.

The global syphilis epidemic: Why is this happening and what should we do about it?
2026-06-25 14:00 - 15:00 | Large Downstairs Teaching Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR, United Kingdom
Due to the hot weather warning this event has been postponed until October 2026
All are invited to the hybrid Bradford Hill Seminar:
The global syphilis epidemic: Why is this happening and what should we do about it?
Professor Michael Marks, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Thursday 25 June, 14:00 – 15:00 BST – Large Downstairs Teaching Room, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SR and via MS Teams Webinar
Register in advance to attend remotely: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
About Professor Michael Marks
Michael Marks is Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Professor of Medicine at LSHTM. His work is focused on the control of syphilis in the UK and worldwide.
The seminar will cover current challenges facing the syphilis epidemic globally and the potential for new tools to help improve our understanding of syphilis and our public health response.
About the Bradford Hill Seminars
The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and IMS Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.

Bradford Hill Seminar - Unlocking African Genomic Diversity for Global Precision Medicine
2026-07-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
All are invited to the hybrid Bradford Hill Seminar:
Unlocking African Genomic Diversity for Global Precision Medicine
Professor Segun Fatumo
Queen Mary University, London and the MRC/UVRI Uganda Unit
Register to attend
Please note this is a free online event.
Registration is available via – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/K-ONJFOjRBqhO_nHHOEDtQ
Abstract
Since the first human genome was sequenced about twenty years ago, advances in genome technologies have resulted in whole-genome sequencing and microarray-based genotyping of millions of human genomes. However, genetic and genomic research is primarily focused on populations of European ancestry. As of June 2021, for example, the vast majority of genomics studies, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS), had been conducted in people of European descent (86.3%), followed by East Asian (5.9%), and African (1.1%) populations. While the proportion of samples from people of European ancestry has increased from 81% in 2016 to 86% in 2021, the proportion of samples from under-represented groups has either remained stagnant or decreased.
As a result, the many under-represented populations may miss out on the potential benefits of genomic research, such as a better understanding of disease aetiology, early detection and diagnosis, rational drug design, and improved clinical care. To improve representation of Africans in genomic studies, new genomic initiatives are emerging from indigenous African populations. In my presentation, I will discuss the importance of genomic diversity and how we are using Africa’s limited human genome resource to 1) discover novel disease susceptibility genetic loci, 2) refine association signals at new and existing loci, 3) develop and test polygenic scores to determine disease risk, 4) assess causal relationships in diseases, and 5) develop capacity for genomics research in Africa.
About Professor Segun Fatumo
Professor Segun Fatumo is a genomic epidemiologist whose pioneering work has advanced understanding of non-communicable diseases and championed equitable genomics research globally. He leads major Africa-focused genomic initiatives, including KidneyGenAfrica, the Uganda Genome Resource and the Nigerian 100K Genome Project, while holding key roles at Queen Mary University of London and the MRC/UVRI Uganda Unit. With funding from major international agencies, Professor Fatumo has driven research capacity building across Africa, contributed to global genomics policy, and serves on influential advisory boards. He is widely recognised in international media (BBC, The Telegraph, WIRED, Science Magazine, Forbes and others) and has been honoured with multiple awards, he remains a prominent advocate for diversity and inclusion in genomic research.

The Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation. This comprises the Departments of Public Health & Primary Care, MRC Biostatistics Unit and IMS Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, bringing together a multi-disciplinary partnership of academics and public health professionals. The Bradford Hill seminar programme of internationally recognised speakers covers topics of broad interest to our public health research community. It aims to transcend as well as connect the activities of our individual partners.
All are welcome at our Bradford Hill seminars.
