Advancing American Indian and Alaska Native Health Through Research, Training, and Engagement

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations have long experienced health disparities such as higher rates of diabetes, certain cancers, and mental health conditions than those of other Americans. One contributing factor in these disparities is underrepresentation of AI/AN populations in biomedical science—as study participants, researchers, and health professionals. Unfamiliarity with health care options and opportunities, coupled with a distrust of biomedical research resulting from unethical studies in the past, have exacerbated this underrepresentation. NIGMS-supported researchers, including Native scientists, are partnering with AI/AN Tribes to help reduce health disparities by conducting research focused on AI/AN health priorities and building infrastructure that supports research in those communities. They’re also preparing Native students to pursue careers in science and medicine. In this post, you’ll meet four scientists advancing AI/AN health. Growing Knowledge About Genomics Dr. Katrina Claw. Credit: University of Colorado. “A lot of people think there’s conflict between Indigenous worldviews and science, but I think there are ways to bring both into the research space,” says Katrina Claw, Ph.D., a Diné (Navajo) assistant professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Anschutz. Dr. Claw partners with Tribes to study pharmacogenomics—how a person’s genetics can affect their response to...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Being a Scientist Genes Injury and Illness COVID-19 Diseases Genomics Profiles Training Source Type: blogs