| Janina Jeff | |
| Alma Mater: | Spelman College (BS) Vanderbilt University (MS, PhD) |
| Workplaces: | Illumina, Inc. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Vanderbilt University |
| Awards: | ASHG Advocacy Award American Society of Human Genetics (2020) Sound Up Bootcamp Spotify (2018) |
| Thesis Title: | The Genetics of Quantitative Traits Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in African Americans |
| Thesis Url: | https://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu//available/etd-03072012-142333/ |
| Thesis Year: | 2012 |
Janina M. Jeff (juh-NEE-nuh; born September 10, 1985) is a US-based geneticist and a senior scientist at Illumina. She is specifically interested in identifying genetic variants that explain disease disparities across populations, as well as science communication. She was the first African American to earn a PhD in Human Genetics at Vanderbilt University.
Jeff is the host and executive producer of In Those Genes, a podcast show that links genetics, African American identity, and Black culture. Jeff is a 2020 American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Advocacy Award winner and won the inaugural Spotify Sound-Up Bootcamp in 2018.[1]
In the podcast, Jeff refers to herself as a geneti-“SIS" and a storyteller. Jeff engages her listeners with personal stories and her scientific knowledge. Growing up, Jeff relates that she "asked big questions, set her own course, connected with her community, and then founded work that fit her."[2]
In her younger years she questioned everything and when she didn't know the answer she saw it as a hindrance and now views it as an opportunity. Jeff discusses the ways in which human genome can provide data ultimately- develops treatments for diseases.[3] She focuses on communities that are underrepresented in genetics research, specifically, African American communities.[4]
Jeff grew up in New Orleans, attended McDonogh 35 Senior High School,[5] and graduated from Spelman College in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in Biology. At Spelman she was a RISE (Research Initiative for Science Enhancement) Scholar.[6] She earned a master's degree in applied statistics in 2011, and a Doctorate in human genetics from Vanderbilt University in 2012.[7] She was the first African-American to graduate from Vanderbilt University with a Ph.D. in Human Genetics. She had her postgraduate training at the Center for Human Genetic Research at Vanderbilt University, and also at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Jeff is a Senior Bioinformatics scientist at Illumina where she develops genomic pipelines used in population screening.[8] Her academic research career has focused on population genetics, with an emphasis on admixed populations and genetic risk factors of common diseases.[9]
In Those Genes is a hip-hop inspired podcast. Jeff is the host and executive producer of the podcast, which explores genetics and "the lost identities of African descended Americans through the lens of Black Culture."[10] The lead producer is Sam Ridell, creative director is Chris Diggins, the music and audio engineer is Chad Milner, sociologist is Saida Grundy, and the consultant is Stevan Smith.
In 2018, Jeff won the inaugural Spotify Sound Up Bootcamp[1] which awarded her with $10,000 to start her podcast. Episode 3, "Skinfolk, Kinfolk," was listed by IndieWire] as one of the 50 Best Podcast Episodes of 2020. The episode "Dat Rona," featuring guest medical expert, Ashira Blazer, received the 2020 Radio Impact award in the Third Coast/ Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition.
In the podcast, Jeff uses genetics to decode and uncover the lost histories and futures of African-descended Americans. For example, in season 2 of the podcast, the episode "She Get It From Her Moma" explored the origin of long-held beliefs about inheritance within the Black community.
Jeff is partnered with kinkofa (KIN*koh*fah): go get yo' kin as a way for African Americans to discover their Black family history. The founders, Jourdan Brunson and Tameshia Rudd-Ridge, were inspired by the ancient Adinkra proverb 'sankofa' of the Akan people who reside in present-day Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The term sankofa encourages individuals to learn from their history and heritage in order to move forward.[11]
kinkofa is a digital family history platform designed to African Americans and other peoples of African descent an opportunity to preserve their African history by uncovering, documenting, and preserving their unique origin stories. kinkofa is partnered with other public and private organizations to amplify stories that honor and enhance the public's understanding of African Americans' contributions to history.[12]
kinkofa has other resources, such as the Rememory platform and the Black cemeteries app. Rememory is a free recording platform to manage all family stories in one place. The recordings could be in person or remote, and the historians available assist in helping spark meaningful conversations. Once a family story, trajectory, recipe, or more is recorded, it is saved in a cloud-based database for generations of family members to watch. The Black cemeteries app helps African Americans share historic burial grounds. Such burial grounds have been historically neglected, leaving descendants unable to locate the final resting places of their ancestors. Cemeteries provide essential genealogical information needed to trace family origins, and not preserving them poses a threat.