Social Genomics and Health Equity

Human social genomics provides a mechanistic biological framework for understanding social determinants of health by mapping how experiences of social connection, stress, purpose, and culture shape gene activity in ways that influence health and aging. This work has also uncovered molecular roots of resilience, offering a biologically grounded view of what it means to thrive, even in the context of adverse social environments. This research reveals a powerful message: social conditions reach deep inside our bodies to regulate basic aspects of genome function, shedding new light on the mechanisms of health disparities as well as new opportunities to enhance molecular well-being, both individually and collectively, to promote health, vitality, and longevity. 

Speaker: Steve W. Cole, PhD Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior