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Review
. 2025 Sep;89(5):255-263.
doi: 10.1111/ahg.12572. Epub 2024 Jul 18.

Methods for multiancestry genome-wide association study meta-analysis

Chuan Fu Yap  1 , Andrew P Morris  1
Affiliations
Review

Methods for multiancestry genome-wide association study meta-analysis

Chuan Fu Yap et al. Ann Hum Genet. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have significantly enhanced our understanding of the genetic basis of complex diseases. Despite the technological advancements, gaps in our understanding remain, partly due to small effect sizes and inadequate coverage of genetic variation. Multiancestry GWAS meta-analysis (MAGMA) addresses these challenges by integrating genetic data from diverse populations, thereby increasing power to detect loci and improving fine-mapping resolution to identify causal variants across different ancestry groups. This review provides an overview of the protocols, statistical methods, and software of MAGMA, as well as highlighting some challenges associated with this approach.

Keywords: genetic variation; genome‐wide association studies; meta‐analysis; multiancestry; software.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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