All of Us Research Program announces new funding to advance precision medicine

May 23, 2022
The National Institutes of Health’s James H. Shannon Building

The National Institutes of Health’s James H. Shannon Building (Building One) in Bethesda, MD (Credit: Lydia Polimeni, National Institutes of Health)

 

 

Program to award up to $2 million in FY22 to support projects funded by NIH partners

The All of Us Research Program is working with 29 institutes, centers, and offices from across the National Institutes of Health to support research that uses the All of Us Researcher Workbench. Current NIH awardees with active projects supported by participating institutes, centers, or offices may submit applications to be considered for supplemental funding available through this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI). 

“Our dataset was designed to be relevant across nearly all disease areas to maximize the scientific value and accelerate health research for all,” said Geoffrey Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical and scientific officer of All of Us. “Since opening to researchers in May 2020, the Researcher Workbench has served as a springboard of discovery and collaboration. With this funding, we’re looking to stimulate new research and align use of the All of Us data platform to extend the opportunities and capabilities of researchers supported by NIH.”

The program intends to commit up to $2 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 22 to fund up to 20 awards, subject to availability of funds and the quality of the applications. Participating institutes, centers, and offices may use their own funds to make additional awards.

Applications must make direct use of the rich data that is available through the cloud-based All of Us Researcher Workbench. The integrated dataset includes nearly 100,000 whole genome sequences, survey responses from nearly 330,000 participants, and information from 214,000 electronic health records, alongside physical measurements and wearable device data. About 80% of the data in the Researcher Workbench is contributed by participants who represent communities that are historically underrepresented in research, including people from racial and ethnic minority groups, people from sexual and gender minority groups, and residents of rural areas. 

Projects that propose research on COVID-19 exposure, treatment, and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 (long COVID), as well as other high-priority areas as outlined by NIH partners in the NOSI, are encouraged. Through the Researcher Workbench, registered researchers can access information from participants who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and continue to experience symptoms long past the initial stages of illness. These clinical, lifestyle, and behavioral experiences can be compared with those from participants who recovered quickly or who have had no evidence of disease.

Applications will be accepted until July 5, 2022. For more information, including details on responding to this opportunity, view Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplements to Advance Precision Medicine Using the All of Us Research Program’s Data

Beyond this funding opportunity, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) has invited Research Centers in Minority Institutions U54 awardees to submit applications for administrative supplemental funding to support pilot research projects utilizing the All of Us dataset. The projects must be led by post-doctoral fellows, junior faculty, or other early-stage investigators. NIMHD is particularly interested in health equity studies that explore the role of social determinants in health outcomes or clinical care for populations that experience health disparities. Please see, Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative Supplements to Support "All of Us" and Health Disparities-Related Pilot Research Projects at NIMHD-Funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) for more details on eligibility and the objectives of this funding. Applications will be accepted through June 27, 2022.  

The All of Us Researcher Workbench is currently supporting more than 2,000 registered researchers from across the United States working on nearly 1,500 research projects. 

All of Us is a registered service mark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).

View a fact sheet on this funding opportunity.