Why do some individuals defy their polygenic score?

In the largest study of its kind (402k UKB individuals; 7 continuous traits + 3 diseases), we asked: If your phenotype deviates from common-variant polygenic score prediction, what's driving that difference?

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

“Innovation that doesn’t serve the underserved is incomplete.”

I was struck by this line from a recent Harvard Business Review article by Eugene A. Woods, CEO of Advocate Health.

Having spent much of my career working at the applied end of genomics and other data types, this resonated deeply.

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🧬 PRSs in practice (5/5): Are healthcare professionals ready?

A concern about PRSs is that clinicians lack genomics knowledge or risk-communication skills.

The solution is not to avoid PRSs, but to invest in training & support.

Read my paper with @mikeinouye.bsky.social 👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#Genomics

🧬 PRSs in practice (4/5): Lower-risk PRS results — false reassurance, or false assumption?

A common concern is that lower-risk PRS results cause false reassurance. But evidence & theory do not support this.

Read my paper with @mikeinouye.bsky.social here👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#Genomics #PolygenicScores

🧬 PRSs in practice (3/5): Higher-risk results = behaviour change?

A common concern is that higher-risk polygenic risk scores (PRSs) don’t motivate lifestyle behaviour change.

My @nathumbehav.nature.com paper with @mikeinouye.bsky.social addresses this 👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#Genomics #BehaviourChange

This post is based on my new paper in @nathumbehav.nature.com with @mikeinouye.bsky.social, in which we examine five common arguments about the psychological & behavioural aspects of implementing PRSs, present five counterarguments, and draw on theory & evidence.

Read it here 👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

🧬 PRSs in practice (2/5): Do higher-risk polygenic risk score (PRS) results really cause distress?

Evidence so far doesn’t suggest substantial or lasting psychological harm — though research remains limited.

👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#Genomics #PolygenicRiskScores #Risk #MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety

🧬 I’ve started a series on polygenic risk scores (PRSs) in healthcare practice, from my new paper with @mikeinouye.bsky.social in @nathumbehav.nature.com.

Yesterday’s post was on public understanding.

Tomorrow: do higher-risk PRS results cause distress?

👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#Genomics #PolygenicScores

Rather than slowing implementation, the answer is education, engagement, and co-design — not avoidance.

Read the paper here 👉 rdcu.be/eNeKN

#PolygenicRiskScores #Genomics #RiskCommunication #PublicUnderstandingOfRisk #ScienceCommunication #PrecisionMedicine

💡 Evidence shows:
• Public understanding of genomics is improving
• Education tools (videos, digital aids, AI tutors) boost comprehension
• People can interpret complex genomic info when communication is clear

Our new Nature Human Behaviour paper (with @mikeinouye.bsky.social) argues that this view underestimates people’s ability to engage with genomics.

Some may struggle to explain PRSs precisely — but that doesn’t mean they can’t grasp what they mean.

🧬 PRSs in practice (1/5): Public understanding — are we underestimating the public?

A common claim: “The public won’t understand polygenic risk scores (PRSs)” — so using them in healthcare could be risky.
But is that really true? 🧵