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0:00
Hello, my name is Ripan Malhi,
and I am an associate professor
in Anthropology at the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
In this lecture, I will provide you
with scientific results and findings
about genetic variation
of indigenous peoples
of North America.
Specifically, I will focus on
genetic variation in modern people
through the analysis of DNA
from fresh tissue, like blood
or saliva,
and also genetic variation
in ancient peoples
through the analysis
of ancient DNA, or degraded DNA,
from ancient tissue
such as skeletal remains.
0:32
Here is an outline for the lecture
to help orient you.
First, before discussing
any DNA results,
I want to talk about the ethical
and social implications
of genetic research
with indigenous communities.
Then I'll focus on how
many of the research studies
focused on genetic variation
in North America
have taken a multidisciplinary
approach,
especially when investigating
the initial people of the Americas.
And then, for a majority
of the lecture,
I'll highlight research results
on patterns of genetic variation
of indigenous populations
of the Americas
and how we can use this information
to investigate
the evolutionary history
of Native Americans.
1:11
Before getting into the details
of genetic studies,
it is important to discuss
the ethical and social implications
of research with indigenous
communities.
In the past, Native Americans
have had difficult encounters
with science,
and, in some cases,
this antagonistic relationship
continues today.
Often, the lack of communication
by scientists
to the community members
involved in the study
contributes to this friction.
A good example of this is when
Arizona researchers
collected blood samples
from the Havasupai Tribe
to study genetic contributions
to Type 2 diabetes.
Ultimately, the blood samples
were used for research of other
diseases
as well as migration history.
When members
of the Havasupai Tribe discovered
that their blood was being used
for research beyond Type 2
diabetes,
they brought a lawsuit against
the Arizona Board of Regents.
This case was settled in 2010,
where community members received
$700,000 plus other benefits.
This case raised many questions
about how research is conducted
with indigenous communities,
and the case was even depicted
in a play called Informed Consent.
