Genomics in Africa, a new book bringing together the continent’s leading voices in human genetics, was published September 14, 2026 by CRC Press, part of Taylor & Francis Group. The African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) is marking the launch of the book, which features a foreword by its President, Professor Ambroise Wonkam.
Edited by Professor Segun Fatumo and Tinashe Chikowore, PhD, the 304-page volume brings together researchers working across infectious disease, cardiometabolic traits, cancer, mental health, pharmacogenomics, and metagenomics. It also sets out what the editors describe as a ten-year roadmap for genomics research on the continent.
Africa holds the greatest genetic diversity of any human population, yet African genomes remain among the least studied. That gap has begun to narrow over the past decade, with initiatives such as the H3Africa Consortium expanding local research capacity and leadership. Genomics in Africa is among the first books to document that shift in detail, through the perspectives of researchers helping to drive it.
“For too long, the story of human genomics has been told without Africa in the room. This book puts African science and African scientists at the center of that story, and it does so at exactly the moment when the continent’s genomic research is coming into its own. I am proud to have written the foreword to a book that will shape how the next generation thinks about this field.”
— Professor Ambroise Wonkam, MD, PhD, President, African Society of Human Genetics
The book covers areas that many existing genomics texts leave out, including the practicalities of running biobanks across different regulatory environments, the ethics of consent and community engagement, and the funding structures that shape which research gets done. It is intended for research leaders, funders, and governments planning genomics programs in Africa, as well as for working scientists.
“We wanted a book that reflects how genomics research in Africa is done, not just a summary written from the outside. Every chapter comes from people who have done this work on the ground, often navigating real constraints in funding, infrastructure, and capacity. For us, this book is about moving beyond representation to leadership. Africa must not simply provide genomic data; African scientists must lead the research, shape the questions, and translate genomic knowledge into better health, stronger research systems, and opportunities for the next generation. If this book helps a funder invest more wisely, a researcher design better, or a young scientist see what is possible, then it has achieved its purpose.”
— Professor Segun Fatumo, Co-Editor, Genomics in Africa
“The future of precision medicine cannot be truly global if it does not adequately represent African populations. Genomics in Africa brings together diverse perspectives and experiences to demonstrate both the progress and the opportunities across the continent. We hope the book will serve not only as a scientific resource, but also as a catalyst for greater collaboration, investment and African-led innovation in genomics.”
— Dr. Tinashe Chikowore, Co-Editor, Genomics in Africa
Genomics in Africa is available now in hardback and eBook formats from Taylor & Francis and booksellers worldwide.
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About the Editors
Professor Segun Fatumo is Professor and Chair of Genomic Diversity at Queen Mary University of London (PHURI) and Head of NCD Genomics at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. He leads several major genomics initiatives across Africa, including KidneyGenAfrica, BCX-Africa, the Nigerian 100K Genome Project, and the Uganda Genome Resource, and holds advisory roles at Genomics England, the Berlin Institute of Health, and the GWAS Catalog.
Dr. Tinashe Chikowore is an Investigator in the Channing Division of Network Medicine and the Genetics Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He works on the genetic architecture of cardiometabolic and non-communicable diseases in African populations.