The H3ECaribbean Initiative has a mission to ensure the representation of persons from the Caribbean in cutting-edge global genomics and health research. Currently, discovery data are composed mainly of Caucasian, middle-class individuals of European descent. There is virtually no inclusion of Caribbean persons in international studies, which means that little is known about potential environmental exposures and that treatments developed based on these data may not be specifically targeted for patients from the Caribbean.
We at H3EC see this as a distributive justice issue.
Read the news release about the launch of this promising collaborative effort.
The H3ECaribbean Initiative is our response to the inequitable representation of Caribbean people in genomics, environmental, and health data. Unless we address this glaring discrepancy, the equity gap will only grow larger in future years.
Cancer now accounts for more than 20% of all deaths in the Caribbean and this rate is increasing.
According to a recent commentary in the Lancet Oncology by researchers from the Jamaica Cancer Care and Research Institute (JACCRI), cancer cases are expected to rise by nearly 70% over the next ten years.
Working Groups
Through a scientific and comprehensive approach modeled on the H3Africa Consortium, we are addressing the key issues that shape genomics, environmental, and health research. We are united in a multi-pronged approach to discovery and learning with the following Working Groups.
H3ECaribbean is led by Dr. Alexandra Shields, Dr. Simon Anderson, Dean Tomlin Paul, and top researchers and clinicians from across the nations of the Caribbean and supported by genomics researchers from Africa, the UK, and the US.
Learn More About Our Work
For more details about this initiative check out our
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