Indigenous Genomics

The Indigenous Genomics team operates out of Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, and comprises a diverse, multi-disciplinary, Indigenous-led group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous professionals and researchers, with expertise across genomics, precision medicine, bioinformatics, Indigenous health, ancient DNA, public health, chronic diseases, bioethics and epidemiology.

Our objectives are to:

• Develop and support the leadership of Indigenous Australians in genomic and data sciences that is framed by their priorities, on their terms and for their benefit.
• Utilise the power of genomics to understand the development and progression of the leading causes of health inequalities experienced by Indigenous Australians – namely Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and its complications, and Cancer.
• Translate genomic research into precision health applications that improve health equity and health care delivery.
• Train an emerging generation of Indigenous genomic researchers and clinicians, and build the capacity of Indigenous Communities to lead genomics research.
• Ensure that research outcomes have immediate and long-term benefits for Indigenous Australians and Communities.
• Connect with international efforts in Indigenous genomics.

Professor Alex Brown is the Professor of Indigenous Genomics at The Kids Research Institute Australia and the Australian National University (ANU) and was recently appointed as the Director of the National Centre of Indigenous Genomics at the ANU.

Professor Brown has successfully attracted more than $10 million in genomic research funding over the past 2 years and leads a National Indigenous Genomics Consortium that will focus on improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. In 2021, the Consortium was awarded a prestigious Synergy grant to drive the establishment of Australia’s first large scale efforts in Indigenous genomics, known as CONNECT.

In 2022 Prof Brown and a significantly expanded consortium of investigators were awarded a MRRF grant over 5 years for the development of a National Indigenous Genomics Network, now referred to as the Australian Alliance for Indigenous Genomics (ALIGN).

ALIGN will oversee the development of 6 jurisdictional nodes and 5 Flagship themes (pharmacogenomics, genome biology, precision medicine, immunobiology and rare diseases) that will clearly demonstrate pathways to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in genomics.

Importantly, ALIGN will work and partner with Indigenous communities and stakeholders to establish jurisdictional and national Indigenous governance structures and Indigenous data governance and sovereignty models, local and national policies and will seek to build capacity across Indigenous health, genomic and research sectors.