  There is an urgent and well-recognized need to extend genetic studies to
diverse populations, but several obstacles continue to be prohibitive,
including (but not limited to) the difficulty of recruiting individuals from
diverse populations in large numbers and the lack of representation in
available genomic references. These obstacles notwithstanding, studying
multiple diverse populations would provide informative, population-specific
insights. Using Native Hawaiians as an example of an understudied population
with a unique evolutionary history, I will argue that by developing key genomic
resources and integrating evolutionary thinking into genetic epidemiology, we
will have the opportunity to efficiently advance our knowledge of the genetic
risk factors, ameliorate health disparity, and improve healthcare in this
underserved population.
