Improving genetic research equity for Veterans with serious mental illnesses
Official title: Mitigating Genomic Research Disparities in the Million Veteran Program
Funded at James J Peters VA Medical Center · NIH-10924783 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to improve healthcare for Veterans by using genetic and health data from a large group of participants to find new genetic links to serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, especially focusing on how these issues affect different groups within the Veteran community.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James J Peters VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| NIH project number | 1I01BX006500-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10924783 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include Veterans diagnosed with serious mental illnesses, particularly those from diverse demographic backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a diagnosis of serious mental illnesses or those outside the Veteran population may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance healthcare outcomes for Veterans by utilizing the extensive genetic and electronic health record data collected from over 650,000 participants in the Million Veteran Program. It focuses on addressing disparities in translational research by employing innovative statistical methods to increase sample sizes across different demographic groups. By integrating diverse data quality through a novel approach called PheMED, the research seeks to identify new genetic risk factors associated with serious mental illnesses, particularly bipolar disorder. This approach will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of how these conditions affect various populations within the Veteran community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more equitable healthcare solutions and improved treatment options for Veterans suffering from serious mental illnesses.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that leveraging large biobanks and innovative statistical methods can successfully identify genetic risk factors, indicating a promising approach in this study.
Where this research is happening
-
James J Peters VA Medical Center
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burstein, David — James J Peters VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Burstein, David
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.