NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Meharry Medical College has launched an ambitious new research initiative aimed at building the world's largest collection of genetic information from people of African ancestry to address health disparities and develop targeted treatments.

The GREAT Health Study seeks to collect DNA samples from 500,000 people with African ancestry over the next 10 years. The groundbreaking project was announced at an event where Dr. James Hildreth, CEO and President of Meharry Medical College, became the first donor.

"I'm really excited. This is probably one of the most exciting things I've been a part of," said Dr. James E.K. Hildreth.

The initiative addresses a significant gap in genetic research. According to Meharry leaders, only about 2% of all genetics studied comes fro

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