Complex patterns of genetic ancestry can provide insights into genetic, environmental factors of many diseases The complex patterns of genetic ancestry uncovered from genomic data in health care systems can provide valuable insights into both genetic and environmental factors underlying many common and rare diseases--insights that are far more targeted and specific than those derived from traditional ethnic or racial labels like Hispanic or Black, according to a team of Mount Sinai researchers. In a study in the journal Cell, the team reported that this information could be used to better understand and predict which populations are more susceptible to certain disorders--including cancers, asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease--and to potentially develop early interventions.