Engaging American Indian and Alaska Native communities in cancer genomics
Participant Engagement Unit
This project partners with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to combine respectful engagement and genomic sequencing to improve cancer detection and care for their people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11191557 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your community would be invited to work with researchers through respectful, culturally aware engagement to share health information and biospecimens. The project will perform comprehensive genomic sequencing of tumors and germline DNA to look for mutations and mutational patterns that might explain cancer risk or outcomes. Researchers aim to compare findings to other populations to find differences in mutation types or frequencies that could affect screening and treatment choices. Results will be translated into better screening, prevention, and possible targeted therapies for AI/AN communities when feasible.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are American Indian and Alaska Native adults with cancer, their family members, or community volunteers willing to share health information and provide biospecimens.
Not a fit: People who are not American Indian or Alaska Native, or those without cancer-related concerns, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier cancer detection and more tailored prevention and treatment options for American Indian and Alaska Native people.
How similar studies have performed: Genomic research has improved cancer care for other populations, but AI/AN people were underrepresented in major efforts like TCGA, so this targeted approach is relatively new for these communities.
Where this research is happening
Albuquerque, United States
- University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr — Albuquerque, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sussman, Andrew Louis — University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
- Study coordinator: Sussman, Andrew Louis
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.