What Researchers Need to Know for the Week of May 9, 2022 

This past week, health research publications captured highlights related to new discoveries, initiatives, and records in EHR, diversity, and genomics.  

The NIH was in the news for speculations among the research community about the appointment of the next director.  

The All of Us research program announced the renewal of its nationwide journey beginning with Kentucky and a new RFI to include environmental health data to drive new areas of research. 

Check out our summary of these top six stories. To view the full article, just click on the link. 

National Institutes of Health News  

Scientist Dr. Mary Klotman Is a Lead Candidate To Head Up NIH 

Mary Klotman, a Duke University scientist and senior leader, is a strong contender to be the next director of the National Institutes of Health as reported by the Washington Post. A physician known for her research into HIV, Klotman has served as dean of the Duke University School of Medicine since 2017. If selected by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate, she would replace Francis S. Collins, who stepped down as NIH director last year. 

All of Us Research Program News 

All of Us Research Program Restarts Nationwide Journey Tour after Two-Year Pandemic Pause 

The All of Us Research Program’s Journey mobile exhibit will be traveling across Kentucky from May 5^th to May 13^th to educate and register new participants for the program. With more enrollment and representation from area residents, researchers can help better address health issues that are prevalent in the community. To view event details, check out this resource. 

 All of Us Research Program Seeks Input on Environmental Health Data 

The All of Us Research Program has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public suggestions on integrating environmental health data into its platform for data analysis, the  All of Us Research Program. 

EHR & Clinical Data 

Unlocking the potential of health data to help research and treatments 

Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have begun to aggregate data from individual institutions in national repositories that are more accessible. The researchers are also undertaking several measures such as the signing of data-use agreements, training on how to securely handle data from human participants, and other data-sharing efforts to access these medical records without compromising patient privacy. 

Diversity Initiatives in Health Research 

Patient reported outcome assessment must be inclusive and equitable 

Issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion have recently been highlighted in Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) ethical guidelines, which have identified several concerns to be addressed in PROs research. Lack of valid and reliable measures, little access to technology, disability language, and cultural requirements are a few of them. These barriers to participation in PRO completion should be addressed to ensure results are as accurate and generalizable as possible and to promote equitable healthcare and reduce health data poverty. 

Genomics in Research 

Fastest ever DNA sequencing technique achieved  

A professor of medicine, genetics, and biomedical data science at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Euan Ashley, MB ChB, DPhil, achieved the Guinness World Records title for the fastest DNA sequencing technique with a time of 5 hours and 2 minutes. This faster DNA sequencing would result in better detection of variants that cause genetic diseases, fewer tests, and faster recovery of patients without sacrificing accuracy.