MIXPRS enables multi-population and multi-method polygenic risk scores using summary statistics

Many multi-population polygenic risk score (PRS) methods have been proposed to improve prediction in underrepresented populations; however, no single method performs best across all scenarios. Although integrating PRSs across multiple methods and populations may improve prediction, this approach is often limited by the need for individual-level tuning data. Here we introduce MIXPRS, a robust framework based on the data fission paradigm for combining multiple multi-population PRS methods using only genome-wide association study summary statistics. MIXPRS uses single nucleotide polymorphism pruning to mitigate linkage disequilibrium mismatch and non-negative least squares regression to estimate combination weights. Across simulations and real-data analyses spanning up to 26 traits, MIXPRS consistently improves prediction accuracy over existing methods. We further extend this framework to MIXPRS+, incorporating functional annotations and clinical PRSs, yielding additional gains in non-European populations. MIXPRS relies only on summary statistics, thus offering broad accessibility and robustness for underrepresented populations.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Genetics
Published
2026-06-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-026-02637-4
Primary Topic
Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

MIXPRS enables multi-population and multi-method polygenic risk scores using summary statistics

Leying Guan, Zeyu Bian, Geyu Zhou, Leqi Xu et al.
Nature Genetics
Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
article

MIXPRS enables multi-population and multi-method polygenic risk scores using summary statistics

Leying Guan, Zeyu Bian, Geyu Zhou, Leqi Xu, Yikai Dong, Xiaowei Zeng, Hongyu Zhao
article en

Abstract

Many multi-population polygenic risk score (PRS) methods have been proposed to improve prediction in underrepresented populations; however, no single method performs best across all scenarios. Although integrating PRSs across multiple methods and populations may improve prediction, this approach is often limited by the need for individual-level tuning data. Here we introduce MIXPRS, a robust framework based on the data fission paradigm for combining multiple multi-population PRS methods using only genome-wide association study summary statistics. MIXPRS uses single nucleotide polymorphism pruning to mitigate linkage disequilibrium mismatch and non-negative least squares regression to estimate combination weights. Across simulations and real-data analyses spanning up to 26 traits, MIXPRS consistently improves prediction accuracy over existing methods. We further extend this framework to MIXPRS+, incorporating functional annotations and clinical PRSs, yielding additional gains in non-European populations. MIXPRS relies only on summary statistics, thus offering broad accessibility and robustness for underrepresented populations.

Nature Genetics
Emory University (US), Purdue University West Lafayette (US), Yale University (US), University of California San Diego (US), Yale New Haven Health System (US), Stanford University (US)
National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute
Openalex Percentile: Top 7%
Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
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MIXPRS enables multi-population and multi-method polygenic risk scores using summary statistics — Leying Guan, Zeyu Bian, et al. · Nature Genetics (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS