Africa’s largest-ever kidney genomics study identified new genetic risk factors that could reshape diagnosis and treatment for millions disproportionately affected by the disease.

Drawing on data from 26,000 people on the continent and some 80,000 of African ancestry elsewhere, researchers found new genetic variants driving chronic kidney disease, offering potential targets for future drugs or diagnostic tools.

The findings underscore how Africa’s underrepresentation in global genomics has limited understanding of the disease, wrote an epidemiologist in The Conversation, highlighting the need for more inclusive research. “The science only works if the reference data matches the population it is meant to serve,” he said.