Written by Jennifer Huizen on May 13, 2021 — Fact checked by Anna Guildford, Ph.D.
A new report calls out the dire need for diversity in human cell lines. piranka/Getty Images
In a new report, researchers cite a dire need to increase diversity in preclinical research using human cell lines (HCL). Currently, some 95% of commonly used cell lines come from people of European descent.
The authors explain that African Americans and other groups are under-represented in preclinical research and are often discriminated against by the medical system.
To fix this systemic problem, the authors write that researchers must regain the trust of previously marginalized populations to encourage people of more diverse genetic backgrounds to contribute to the development of more diverse cell lines.