The SMaHT Network is committed to thoughtfully considering donor families throughout the research process. Genetic and genomic discoveries from this project have the potential to benefit families everywhere by advancing medical research, leading to new treatments, and improving disease prevention. However, genetic research has not always included a broad range of participants, which can limit the impact and applicability of scientific discoveries. To address this, SMaHT has a dedicated team of researchers focused on the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of tissue donation. Their goal is to help ensure that the tissue samples collected represent a wide range of backgrounds and that the research is conducted with transparency, fairness, and respect for all donor families.
