Initiative to Maximize Research Education in Genomics: Diversity Action Plan (R25 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is planning to launch a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The aim is to enhance the existing Diversity Action Plan initiative, a program dedicated to genomics research education, and align it with the recent attempts by the NHGRI and the wider National Institutes of Health (NIH) to increase diversity within their workforce.

The NHGRI recognizes the need for increased diversity in the research community, in order to tackle the challenges and opportunities presenting in various fields such as genome sciences, genomic medicine, genomics and society, data science, and health equity research. Given the substantial progression of the genomics field in the past 30 years, boosting its workforce diversity is now considered urgently necessary.

The NHGRI has already formulated an action agenda to aid in training, employing, and retaining a diverse genomics workforce that mirrors the US population. This includes support for various career pathways to help individuals from diverse backgrounds gain the necessary skills and knowledge to build a career in genomics.

This ethos was highlighted in the 2020 NHGRI Strategic Vision, the NHGRI Action Agenda for Building a Diverse Genomic Research Workforce, and the NHGRI Training Task Force Report, all aimed at building an inclusive and diverse genomics workforce. These plans were presented to the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research in February 2020, emphasizing NHGRI's firm commitment to staff development and diversity in the field of genomics.