Gujarati Indians in Houston, Texas, USA [GIH]


Population Gujarati Indians in Houston, Texas, USA [GIH]
DNA Sample Panel HAPMAPV15
Individual DNA Samples 117
Individual Cell Cultures 117

Population Description

Principal Investigator for Community Engagement and Sample Collection:
Richard Sharp, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

These cell lines and DNA samples were prepared from blood samples collected in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. All of the samples are from unrelated individuals who identified themselves as Gujarati and reported having at least three out of four Gujarati grandparents. "Gujarati" is a general term used to describe people who trace their ancestry to the region of Gujarat, located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, and who speak the Gujarati language. However, no attempt was made to clarify the meaning that donors attributed to their self-reported Gujarati identity.

It is important to include a reference to "Houston, Texas" when describing the source of these samples. While the samples are not genetically "atypical", they do not necessarily represent all Gujarati people, whose population history is complex. The population should not be described merely as "Indian" or "South Asian Indian", since those designators encompasses many populations with many different geographic ancestries.

After the complete descriptor “Gujarati Indians in Houston, Texas, USA” has been provided, it is acceptable to use the shorthand label “Gujarati” or the abbreviation “GIH” in the remainder of the article or presentation. However, the full descriptor for the population should be provided before the shorthand labels are used; this will help to avoid the risks associated with over-generalization of findings.

It may be scientifically appropriate to pool data from these samples with data from other ancestrally related groups, when the data show that the groups have similar allele frequencies. If the groups all have South Asian ancestry, the designation "South Asian ancestry" (abbreviation: SAA) to describe the combined analysis panel is recommended. If only groups very closely related to the Gujarati have similar allele frequencies, then another abbreviation may need to be used.


Policies and Guidelines