image: These are real (left) and predicted (right) faces. view more
Credit: PNAS
In a study including 1,061 participants, 18-82 years of age, researchers developed a statistical algorithm that matches phenotypic and demographic data with phenotype traits predicted from whole-genome sequencing data; on average, the algorithm identified at least eight out of 10 participants in an ethnically diverse cohort, and five out of 10 African American or European participants, findings with potential ethical and legal implications for personal privacy, according to the authors.
Article #17-11125: "Identification of individuals by trait prediction using whole-genome sequencing data," by Christoph Lippert et al.
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