The Accelerate Precision Health program will award $46 million total in funding, or $11.5 million per institution, over the next five years to four Historically Black Medical Colleges (HBMCs) to support the scientific research they are doing to address significant gaps in genomics research.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) program will seek to advance genomics research by investing in genomics programs at Charles Drew University College of Medicine in Los Angeles; Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.; Meharry Medical College in Nashville; and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Through the partnership, the HBMCs will expand research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students; support the creation of a new Master of Science program in Genetic Counseling; support recruitment of anchor faculty in genomics; and fund state-of-the-art tools for data handling, storage, and analysis, among other elements.
“It’s important to underscore that for Black Americans, there is a large gap between representation and need in genomics research, and the time is now to support the intersection of genomics and health differences research that will advance science. Research shows that expanding representation leads to innovative discoveries,” said CZI’s Senior Science Advisor Hannah Valantine, in a statement. “Actively engaging HBMCs and the communities they serve in genomics research is a necessary approach to harness new perspectives that will fuel creative interdisciplinary research, unleash innovations that have yet to be conceived, and accelerate precision health equity.”
“Morehouse School of Medicine is thrilled to partner with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative on the Accelerate Precision Health program,” said Morehouse School of Medicine President and CEO Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., in a statement. “CZI support will allow MSM to expand our educational programs and our world-class genomics research enterprise simultaneously. Through this partnership, MSM will train more graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, hire additional research scientists, and establish an endowed faculty position funded by CZI. These measures will enhance Morehouse School of Medicine’s continued commitment to academic excellence, service, and innovation as we lead the creation and advancement of health equity.”
This grant is part of a multi-year, $500 million investment CZI announced in December 2020 to support organizations leading the way to advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion efforts.
