Diversity informs all aspects of biomedical research. However, most cohort studies do not have diverse participants. This is a critical issue for research and health -- by omitting large numbers of people who represent the actual spectrum of ancestries, our knowledge of health and disease are limited. There are a number of medications, diagnostics, and genetic tests that are known to affect people differently based on their ancestral genetic backgrounds.
In addition to ancestral diversity, socio-economic diversity is another challenge for research. Especially when considering environmental epidemiology, populations with different socio-economic factors may have different kinds and levels of environmental exposure. And ultimately, this impacts population health -- low diversity in race, socio-economic status, and environmental exposure throughout the research process, from basic research through translational and clinical research, leads to disparities in quality of care and health outcomes.
We aim to bring together a broad range of stakeholders: researchers, physicians, policy-makers, and patients to discuss the causes and impact of low diversity on research outcomes and creative solutions to overcome these challenges, focusing to start on the US. We understand that there has been considerable effort to improve diversity of research participants in the past decade, however, those efforts have been hampered by systemic social/cultural and policy barriers. This conference is unique because it brings together cross-disciplinary investigators to address a multifaceted approach to ensuring the translation of biomedical findings to the populations with the highest burden of disease.
Selected Confirmed Speakers
Vence Bonham (NHGRI)
Martin Maiers (NMDP/Be The Match)
Noah Zaitlen (UCLA)
Joan Casey (Berkeley)
Ana Navas-Acien (Columbia)
Katrina Claw (CU-Anschutz)
Joshua Galanter (Genentech)
Adam Auton (23andMe)
Jon Samet (CU-Anschutz)
Other
In addition, we will select speakers from abstract submissions and host a poster session, particularly focused on trainees.
