Eichler

In addition to Makova, the team was co-led by co-corresponding study authors Adam Phillippy, senior investigator at NHGRI, and Evan Eichler, professor of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington.

The daytime Emmy award winner briefly thought about scrapping the project; she started writing the 400-plus page book, co-written with Mim Eichler Rivas, at the top of 2022.

“We’re going to have the benefit of actually understanding ourselves as a species much, much better,” said Evan Eichler, a genome scientist at the University of Washington.

Dr. Eichler was among more than 100 scientists and bioethicists who described the new pangenome reference in the journal Nature.

Study author Evan Eichler of the University of Washington said researchers will also learn more about genes already linked to problems, such as one tied to cardiovascular disease in African Americans.