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A paper published in the journal Nature titled "Genomic data in the All of Us Research Program" has faced criticism for its use of racial categories to represent genetic diversity. The paper's figure, titled "Genetic ancestry in All of Us," uses six racial groups to represent the participant population. However, the use of race in genetics and genomics research has been widely criticized for its limitations and potential to reinforce misconceptions about human differences. A 2023 report by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommended against using race as a proxy for genetic variation in research. The report provides 12 recommendations for improving the study of human genetic diversity and avoiding the reinforcement of racial concepts in scientific research. The success of these recommendations will depend on the support of funding agencies, the willingness of scientists to follow the guidelines, and collaboration between the genetic and genomics community and other fields. The authors of the report hope that these changes will lead to a more accurate and ethical study of human diversity. [Extracted from the article]

The use of racial variables in genetic studies has become a matter of intense public debate, with implications for research design and translation into practice. Using research on smoking as a springboard, the authors examine the history of racial categories, current research practices, and arguments for and against using race variables in genetic analyses. The authors argue that the sociopolitical constructs appropriate for monitoring health disparities are not appropriate for use in genetic studies investigating the etiology of complex diseases. More powerful methods for addressing population structure exist, and race variables are unacceptable as gross proxies for numerous social/environmental factors that disproportionately affect minority populations. The authors conclude with recommendations for genetic researchers and policymakers, aimed at facilitating better science and producing new knowledge useful for reducing health disparities.

This document is a letter from the President of the History of Science Society, Evelynn M. Hammonds, welcoming readers to a special issue of the journal Isis. The issue is dedicated to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the History of Science Society and aims to highlight the contributions of previous scholars to the journal. The letter emphasizes the importance of Isis as a scholarly exchange for the history of science and discusses the growth and evolution of the Society over the years. The President expresses gratitude to the editors and readers for their support and invites readers to explore the past to learn something new. [Extracted from the article]

The Trouble with Race Is it good medical practice for physicians to "eyeball" a patient's race when assessing their medical status or even to ask them to identify their race? [...]

The use of racial variables in genetic studies has become a matter of intense public debate, with implications for research design and translation into practice. Using research on smoking as a springboard, the authors examine the history of racial categories, current research practices, and arguments for and against using race variables in genetic analyses. The authors argue that the sociopolitical constructs appropriate for monitoring health disparities are not appropriate for use in genetic studies investigating the etiology of complex diseases. More powerful methods for addressing population structure exist, and race variables are unacceptable as gross proxies for numerous social/environmental factors that disproportionately affect minority populations. The authors conclude with recommendations for genetic researchers and policymakers, aimed at facilitating better science and producing new knowledge useful for reducing health disparities.

The article reports that the last several decades have seen the increasing success of the feminist project in history All of the trappings of success are quite visible: More women have been written into the historical record and as a result that record has been profoundly changed and enriched. Women historians hold important positions in departments around the country and in the professional organizations. Many of the leading scholars have successfully produced several generations of equally outstanding students. There are several journals devoted to women's history and the leading journals in the profession now give prominent attention to women's history and the role of gender in historical studies.

There are currently a number of very fine books and articles on the history of women in science in the United States. One major failure of these works is the [...]

Features an interview with Beverly Guy-Sheftall, an Anna Julia Cooper Professor of English and Women's Studies at Atlanta, Georgia-based Spelman College and founding director of the Women's Research and Resource Center. Views on relevance of women's and gender studies; Definition and concepts of feminism; Feminist intellectual tradition among African American women.