NIH Funding Aims to Improve Precision Medicine and Reduce Disparities 

After receiving $54 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Scripps Research Translational Institute aimed to continue to improving precision medicine and limiting health disparities by growing the All of Us Research Program.

Known for having a large influence on innovation, Scripps Research is an institution that attempts  to improve well-being through advancements in biosciences.

Back in 2016, the NIH provided the Scripps Research Translational Institute with funding to commence the All of Us Research Program. Efforts at the time consisted of adding mobile health tools to the program.

Since then, the All of Us Research Program has defined itself as a large and diverse health database that aims to enhance precision medicine while limiting disparities. The program began enrollment efforts in 2018 and has gained 460,000 participants since. Of this population, 46 percent self-identify as members of a racial or ethnic group  underrepresented in medicine.

“We are delighted to be part of this historic research effort and immensely grateful to the NIH for our continued collaboration,” says Eric Topol, MD, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and principal investigator of the award, in a press release. “The All of Us Research Program is a monumental undertaking with far-reaching impact and potential to advance individualized medicine.”

This $54 million funding from the NIH will allow the Scripps Research Translational Institute to increase enrollment. This largely takes place through the Participant Center, supervised by Topol and his colleagues. Enrollment and data collection efforts of the Participant Center generally take place through various outreach partners such as community health centers and health insurers.

The Scripps Research Translational Institute noted specific goals for All of Us, including reaching a population of one million people.

“We are thrilled to continue engaging with communities that reflect the diversity of the United States,” said Julia Moore Vogel, PhD, co-principal investigator and program director of The Participant Center for the All of Us Research Program. “Together with the NIH and our trusted partners, we look forward to furthering the program’s growth, accessibility and data collection.”

Alongside enrollment goals exists another goal of leading All of Us Participant Labs. Through this hub, Scripps Research staff will aim to explore novel technologies intended to improve engagement and retention. They also noted endeavors surrounding improvements in biosample collection processes.

Prior efforts have displayed the goal of supporting precision medicine for minorities.

In September 2022, researchers examining genomic data from the UCLA ATLAS Precision Health Biobank located a diverse population with which they supported precision medicine efforts for underrepresented groups.

According to research, common methods of disease risk prediction using genetics are not applicable to those of non-European ancestry. To counter this theme, researchers aimed to further consider genetic ancestry while recognizing self-identified race. This is a critical consideration, largely because of their relationship with systematic issues that correlate with health.