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Epigenetic Science and Indigenous health: Key Issues and Considerations for Future Research

Environmental epigenetics is a fast-growing field of scientific research attracting interest from key stakeholders in Indigenous health internationally, including researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and advocacy organisations. It is the study of how various external factors, including food, stress, and toxins, alter genetic expression, and could be biologically passed down to children (and potentially grandchildren). 

Incidence of Stroke in Indigenous Populations of Countries With a Very High Human Development Index A Systematic Review

Cardiovascular disease contributes significantly to disease burden among many Indigenous populations. However, data on stroke incidence in Indigenous populations are sparse. We aimed to investigate what is known of stroke incidence in Indigenous populations of countries with a very high Human Development Index locating the research in the broader context of Indigenous health.

Future-proofing genomic data and consent management: a comprehensive review of technology innovations

Genomic information is increasingly used to inform medical treatments and manage future disease risks. However, any personal and societal gains must be carefully balanced against the risk to individuals contributing their genomic data. Expanding our understanding of actionable genomic insights requires researchers to access large global datasets to capture the complexity of genomic contribution to diseases.

“It Empowers You to Empower Them”: Health Professional Perspectives of Care for Hyperglycaemia in Pregnancy Following a Multi-Component Health Systems Intervention

The Northern Territory and Far North Queensland have a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women birthing who experience hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. A multi-component health systems intervention to improve antenatal and postpartum care in these regions for women with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy was implemented between 2016 and 2019.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia: addressing disparities and barriers to optimising patient care

The first inhabitants of Australia and the traditional owners of Australian lands are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are two to four times more likely to have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than the general Australian population.

Responsive service design and workforce strengthening: Recommendations to improve aged care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

This study aimed to develop innovative and practical strategies and recommendations for aged care policy and practice that support the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The Power of Genomics

Due to an advanced understanding of cancer biology and the rapid development of genomic technologies, cancer has shifted from 200 diseases based on pathology (i.e., what a tumor looks like under the microscope) to thousands of diseases based on molecular tumor profiles (i.e., what a tumor looks like when its altered genome is interrogated). Most cancers arise from alterations to the genome, including changes in the number or structure of chromosomes and variations in a single building block of the genetic code.

Sensitivity and specificity of Aboriginal-developed items to supplement the adapted PHQ-9 screening measure for depression: results from the Getting it Right study

Citation: Skinner T, Brown A, Teixeira-Pinto A, et al. Sensitivity and specificity of Aboriginal-developed items to supplement the adapted PHQ-9

Early moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal diet impact offspring DNA methylation across species

Alcohol consumption in pregnancy can affect genome regulation in the developing offspring but results have been contradictory. We employed a physiologically relevant murine model of short-term moderate prenatal alcohol exposure resembling common patterns of alcohol consumption in pregnancy in humans. 

More than dirt: Sedimentary ancient DNA and Indigenous Australia

The rise of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) studies has opened new possibilities for studying past environments. This groundbreaking area of genomics uses sediments to identify organisms, even in cases where macroscopic remains no longer exist. Managing this substrate in Indigenous Australian contexts, however, requires special considerations. Sediments and soils are often considered as waste by-products during archaeological and paleontological excavations and are not typically regulated by the same ethics guidelines utilised in mainstream 'western' research paradigms.