Ancestry Bias in CRISPR Screens: Implications for Cancer Drug Target Identification

Recent research from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard reveals that some CRISPR screens used to identify cancer drug targets may be missing their mark, particularly in cells from individuals of African ancestry. The study found that approximately 2% of CRISPR guides fail to accurately target specific genes, primarily because these guides were designed using genomes predominantly from individuals of European descent. This bias obscures potential cancer dependencies crucial for drug targeting.

The study underscores the importance of addressing genetic diversity in biomedical research tools like CRISPR/Cas9, which rely on precise RNA sequences to guide gene editing. Researchers emphasize the need for comprehensive assessments of these tools to correct hidden biases and ensure their effectiveness across diverse populations. As a result of these findings, efforts are underway to enhance the genetic diversity of large-scale cell line libraries used in such studies.

For more details, the study was published in Nature Communications and highlights the implications of ancestry biases in functional genomics research, calling for broader inclusivity to improve accuracy in scientific discovery.