About GENARCH
Genetic Epidemiology Network for At Risk Community Health
What GENARCH Is
GENARCH is a read-only, population-level scientific atlas mapping gene–environment interactions for Loudoun County, Virginia. It visualizes how genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures converge at the molecular level — connecting GWAS-identified loci to biological pathways, tissue-resolved expression data, and local environmental conditions.
Every data point in the atlas is curated from peer-reviewed literature, scored with transparent rules, and linked to its source citations. The atlas covers diseases, environmental exposures, genes and variants, biological pathways, and tissue-specific mechanisms.
What GENARCH Is Not
- Not a consumer health tool
- Not a risk calculator or clinical decision support system
- Not a diagnostic tool
- Does not accept personal genetic data (VCF, 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or any genotype format)
- Does not generate individual risk scores
- Does not store any user data, inputs, or identifiers
All content is for educational purposes only. Nothing on this site constitutes medical advice.
Geographic Focus: Loudoun County
GENARCH is hyperlocal by design. Loudoun County, Virginia is one of the fastest-growing and most demographically diverse counties in the United States, with a population that has shifted rapidly from rural to suburban over the past two decades.
The county presents a compelling case study for gene–environment interaction research: the Route 28 industrial corridor and Dulles International Airport create spatially variable air pollution exposure gradients; the rapidly growing South Asian, East African, and Hispanic populations highlight the direct relevance of GWAS transferability gaps; and the suburban-rural transition zones create natural variation in food access, greenspace, and psychosocial stressors.
Data Sources
- GWAS Catalog — genome-wide association study results
- GTEx Portal (v8) — tissue-specific gene expression data
- CDC PLACES — county-level health prevalence estimates
- EPA AQS / AirNow — air quality monitoring data
- USDA Food Access Research Atlas — food desert mapping
- Peer-reviewed literature — mechanistic studies, meta-analyses, reviews
Builder
GENARCH was built by Kiaan Saraiya as an independent research project. The atlas integrates publicly available genomic, environmental, and health data into a unified, navigable knowledge graph designed for educational exploration.
Academic Intent
GENARCH is designed for researchers, educators, and students exploring gene–environment interaction science. It is not intended for clinical or commercial use. The atlas prioritizes scientific rigor, citation traceability, and transparent methodology over user engagement or consumer appeal.