Skip to main content
Log in

African ancient DNA research requires robust ethics and permission protocols

  • Comment
  • Published:

From Nature Reviews Genetics

View current issue Sign up to alerts

In Africa, there is a disparity in ethics and permission requirements for molecular research on samples from living people versus ancient DNA. At the precipice of the archaeogenomics revolution, heritage agencies require updated policies and procedures for genetic and genomic research on African ancient DNA.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Morris, A. G. Ancient DNA comes of age, but still has some teenage problems. S. Afr. J. Sci. https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2017/a0232 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Prendergast, M. E. & Sawchuk, E. Boots on the ground in Africa’s ancient DNA ‘revolution’: archaeological perspectives on ethics and best practices. Antiquity 92, 803–815 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Racimo, F., Sikora, M., Vander Linden, M., Schroeder, H. & Lalueza-Fox, C. Beyond broad strokes: sociocultural insights from the study of ancient genomes. Nat. Rev. Genet. 21, 355–366 (2020).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tindana, P. & Wasunna, C. in Research ethics in Africa: a resource for research ethics committees (eds Kruger, M., Ndebele, P. & Horn, L.) 125–134 (SUN MeDIA, 2014).

  5. Wasunna, C. & Bukusi, E. A. in Research ethics in Africa: a resource for research ethics committees (eds Kruger, M., Ndebele, P. & Horn, L.) 33–40 (SUN MeDIA, 2014).

  6. Chi, P. C., Horn, L. & Kruger, M. in Research ethics in Africa: a resource for research ethics committees (eds Kruger, M., Ndebele, P. & Horn, L.) 63–70 (SUN MeDIA, 2014).

  7. Pálsdóttir, A. H., Bläuer, A., Rannamäe, E., Boessenkool, S. & Hallsson, J. H. Not a limitless resource: ethics and guidelines for destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains. R. Soc. Open Sci. 6, 191059 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sirak, K. A. & Sedig, J. W. Balancing analytical goals and anthropological stewardship in the midst of the paleogenomics revolution. World Archaeol. 51, 560–573 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Horn, L., Sleem, H. & Ndebele, P. in Research ethics in Africa: a resource for research ethics committees (eds Kruger, M., Ndebele, P. & Horn, L.) 81–90 (SUN MeDIA, 2014).

  10. South African San Institute. San code of research ethics. South African San Institute http://trust-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/San-Code-of-RESEARCH-Ethics-Booklet-final.pdf (2017).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author thanks the individuals in the University of Cape Town repository, W. Black of Iziko Museum for leading the conversations locally, and the community activists who are striving for better stewardship of human remains in South Africa.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Victoria E. Gibbon.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Additional information

Related links

H3Africa: https://h3africa.org/

MARC: https://www.cohred.org/marc/

Supplementary information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gibbon, V.E. African ancient DNA research requires robust ethics and permission protocols. Nat Rev Genet 21, 645–647 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-020-00285-w

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-020-00285-w

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation