Abstract
- Purpose: Personalized medicine is exponentially advancing. In order to optimize an individual's healthcare, their individual genetic makeup, as well as environmental profiles, need to be quantified. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among African Ancestry is alarmingly high within northwestern North Carolina, with preliminary studies indicating that levels are even higher than the general U.S. population. Our overall goal is to identify genetic markers that are linked to type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance within this population. Materials and Methods: A literature review was conducted to determine which genomic markers have been associated with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance with the African population. Results and Conclusions: Thirteen studies reported genomic markers that have been associated with type 2 diabetes within the African Ancestry. A compilation of these genomic markers are presented within this review.