Andres Cardenas, "Bias and Equitable Use of Epigenetic Biomarkers in Diverse Populations," in conversation with Daphne Martschenko

Advancements in novel molecular biology techniques have enabled the development of promising biomarkers for medical and consumer applications. Epigenetic modifications have yielded novel biomarkers of exposures, lifestyle, and aging, generating considerable excitement and momentum in both research and industry. However, these biomarkers suffer from underlying biases due to training datasets derived from non-representative populations. This talk will highlight existing biases and misuses of epigenetic aging biomarkers, with a focus on epigenetic age, a novel measure of biological age that is widely utilized in research and now available for direct-to-consumer testing. Data on disparities among underrepresented populations will demonstrate the potential pitfalls of using existing algorithms without acknowledging their current limitations.

Sponsored by the Research Institute of CCSRE.