Scientists Uncover Key Genetic Adaptations to Desert Survival in Partnership with Turkana Pastoralists

A groundbreaking international study published on Thursday, 18th, September 2025 has revealed how the Turkana people of northern Kenya have genetically adapted to thrive in one of the world’s harshest environments.

The research, published in Science, is the result of the Turkana Health and Genomics Project (THGP), a collaborative initiative involving the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), Vanderbilt University, and the University of California, Berkeley. The project combines genomics, anthropology, and biology, while working hand in hand with the Turkana community to connect scientific insights with lived experiences.

“Working with the Turkana has been transformative for this study,” said Dr. Sospeter Njeru, Co-Principal Investigator and KEMRI’s Deputy Director, Centre for Community Driven Research (CCDR). “Their insights into their environment, lifestyle, and health have been essential to connecting our genetic findings to real-world survival strategies,” intimated Dr. Njeru.

By sequencing 367 whole genomes and analysing more than 7 million genetic variants, researchers identified several genomic regions shaped by natural selection. One gene in particular, STC1, stood out for its strong evidence of adaptation.

Expressed in the kidneys, STC1 helps conserve water during dehydration and enables the processing of purine rich foods such as meat and blood—dietary staples for the Turkana pastoralists. These adaptations are believed to have emerged about 5,000 years ago, coinciding with the aridification of northern Africa. “This research demonstrates how our ancestors adapted to dramatic climate shifts through genetic evolution,” noted Dr. Epem Esekon, County Executive for Health and Sanitation in Turkana County.

While these adaptations once offered protection, scientists warn they may pose new health risks as more Turkana transition to urban lifestyles. Known as evolutionary mismatch, the same genetic traits that supported desert survival may now predispose individuals to chronic illnesses such as hypertension, kidney disease, and diabetes.

“With more people shifting from rural to urban lifestyles, we are also seeing a change in disease patterns,” said KEMRI’s Acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok, “This study helps explain how evolutionary mismatch contributes to today’s health challenges.”

The findings have implications far beyond northern Kenya, offering valuable insights as humanity confronts climate change. “Worldwide, indigenous communities like the Turkana are essential partners in advancing our knowledge of human resilience,” said the Director of the Turkana Basin Institute, Prof. Dino J. Martins. “Their adaptation to one of the earth’s hottest and driest environments provides lessons for how climate and environmental changes continue to shape human biology and health