The All of Us Research Program at University of Arizona and Banner Health recently announced the All of Us Data Fellows program to mentor graduate students, postdoctoral students, and junior faculty in scientific investigations. Participants will use the Researcher Workbench, a database that offers registered researchers access to one of the largest and most diverse data sources. The platform includes genetic, lifestyle, and environmental information. Data Fellows will complete six months of training, mentored research, and professional development taking up approximately 15-20% of a trainee’s time, from March 1 to Aug. 31, 2024. Through these resources, All of Us Research Program at University of Arizona and Banner Health will equip a new generation of researchers with the necessary tools for Researcher Workbench projects.
An initiative of the National Institutes of Health, the All of Us Research Program aims to build one of the largest and most diverse databases of health information of its kind by gathering genetic, lifestyle and environmental information from at least one 1 million people. Researchers can access this health data to perform thousands of studies. As a government-funded program, All of Us makes data broadly accessible to researchers of all kinds to support studies across a wide range of health topics. More than 500,000 participants have completed initial steps of the program, including providing biosamples for analysis. After the most recent addition of new data, the Workbench now includes over 245,350 whole genomes and 312,900+ genotyping arrays, as well as data on social determinants of health (SDoH), enabling new opportunities for research. The 2024 Data Fellows inaugural cohort represents a unique opportunity for researchers, as the dataset reflects the rich diversity of the United States. More than 75% of the data comes from people who identify with communities historically underrepresented in biomedical research, 45% of whom identify with underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups.
Important Information for the Data Fellows Program
Eligibility:
- Graduate students, postdoctoral students, and junior faculty
- Individuals considered underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce are encouraged to apply.
- Affiliated with an institution with an active All of Us Data Use and Registration Agreement (DURA)
Priority: Affiliated with an institution in a Southwest U.S. State (AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT)
Stipend: $2,000 upon completion of program. UArizona Data Fellows employed at the University of Arizona are not eligible for stipend per University policy.
Format: Virtual online classes and meetings
Curriculum: Didactic curriculum includes topics such as cultural competency, responsible conduct of research, All of Us design, common data models for observational health data, programming in R/Python, common genomic tools, and best practices for working in cloud computing. Data Fellows will complete original research projects in the Researcher Workbench, based on abstracts submitted during the application process, and will emerge with skills to facilitate future research projects though the dataset. Established research scientists who utilize the Researcher Workbench will serve as mentors and be paired with Data Fellows. Data Fellows, in turn, will publish findings and advance use of the Researcher Workbench at their home institution.
Application: Submit a Biosketch or CV, one letter of support, and a 1 to 2 page personal statement, including a description of your research interests and motivation for applying, and an abstract of your proposed research project via https://redcap.link/5386knhd.
For questions about the All of Us University of Arizona-Banner Health Data Fellows program, email Program Manager Zuena Mushtaq at [email protected] or contact the Director of Scientific Programs for the All of Us Research Program University of Arizona-Banner Health, Dr. Jason Karnes, at [email protected].
The submission deadline is Feb. 15, 2024. Apply at https://redcap.link/5386knhd.
The All of Us Research Program at the University of Arizona and Banner Health is funded by National Institutes of Health award UG3OD023171.
For further information contact us at: [email protected]