Morrison Institute for Population and Resource Studies

Human Genome Diversity Project

The Human Genome Diversity Project is an international project that seeks to understand the diversity and unity of the entire human species.

Laboratories from around the world have contributed cell lines from populations that they have studied to a resource known as the HGDP-CEPH Collection in Paris, France. These cell lines are maintained at the Centre Etude Polymorphism Humain. These samples have all met the criteria set by the HGDP Ethics Committee. DNA from these cells is available to nonprofit research laboratories essentially at cost. For more details on the collection, see H. Cann et al, “A Human Genome Diversity Cell Line Panel,” Science, 12 April 2002, 296: 261-262 (12 April 2002) and its Supplemental Data; Rosenberg et al, “Genetic Structure of Human Populations,” Science 20 December 2002, 298: 2381-2385; and Rosenberg et al, “Clines, Clusters, and the Effect of Study Design on the Inference of Human Population Structure, PLoS Genetics December 2005, 1:6, 0660-0671.

The Model Ethical Protocol is a document stipulating the terms for collecting DNA samples.

Protocolo Ético Modelo para la Recolección de Muestras de ADN Comité Regional Norteamericano Proyecto de la Diversidad del Genoma Humano, translated by Leticia Molinero (acknowledgments also to Leticia Britos and Lisa Diamond).

Frequently Asked Questions about the HGDP.

The Alghero Summary Report, a summary of the purpose of the Project and of the planning work done as of September 1993.

The statement of Mary-Claire King to the Committee for Evaluation of the HGDP to the National Academy of Sciences committee charged with evaluating the Human Genome Diversity Project, September 16, 1996.

The committee members.

Here are some related sites.