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underrepresented populations that helps create a more complete picture of human genomics.
INCREASING DIVERSITY IN STEM EDUCATION AND THE STEM WORKFORCE Increasing diversity among genomic research participants while increasing minority access to genetic education and the STEM workforce is vital to changing the genomics landscape. Several HudsonAlpha education and institute programs aim to increase access and diversity in STEM education and the workforce. Enrolling students from local historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU), and high schools ensures they gain experience and knowledge in the field of genetics and genomics. HBCU GOMA CO-OP PROGRAM HudsonAlpha offers HBCU internships in collaboration with the Alabama Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs (GOMA) and Alabama’s 14 historically Black colleges and universities. The HBCU GOMA Co-op program builds a talent pipeline from HBCUs in Alabama to the state’s workforce. The year-long internships allow students the opportunity to gain experience working in a lab while learning about biotechnology and related fields. *( To meet a current GOMA student, read the story on pgs. 62-63). NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SORGHUM STUDY Two HudsonAlpha faculty members were awarded a supplemental National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to continue researching nitrogen efficiency in the grain and biomass crop sorghum. A new collaborator joined the team for the two-year supplement– Alabama A&M Uni- versity (AAMU), a public HBCU. Through the educational portion of the project, the team hopes to engage and retain more minorities who are underrepresented in STEM fields, especially in agricultural sciences, by mentoring and cross-training young researchers at AAMU. *( To learn more about this project, see pgs. 44–45).
ALABAMA GENOMIC HEALTH INITIATIVE (AGHI) HudsonAlpha has been part of the Alabama Genomic Health Initiative (AGHI) since its launch in 2017. AGHI is a state-funded research initiative that aims to prevent and treat disease by providing genomic testing, interpretation, and genetic counseling free of charge to residents. As of late 2021, AGHI has enrolled more than 7,000 individuals representing all 67 Alabama counties 2 . (Read more on p.10) SOUTHSEQ SouthSeq is a program focused on enrolling a diverse population of sick infants representing racial and ethnic minorities, as well as those from medically underserved communities. The study uses genome sequencing to diagnose critically ill NICU babies. (Read more about SouthSeq on p.32) ALL OF US Researchers at HudsonAlpha are also part of a large, nationwide program called All of Us . The program aims to gather health data from more than one million Americans, reflecting its rich diversity. They hope to include individu- als of many races and ethnicities, age groups, geographic regions, gender identities, and health statuses. As of June 2022, the All of Us research database includes data from more than 372,000 participants, with nearly 80% identify- ing with groups historically underrepresented in medical research 3 . The first set of All of Us long-read sequencing data was made possible by HudsonAlpha in collaboration with Discovery Life Sciences (DLS) , a company located on the HudsonAlpha campus. HudsonAlpha is on track to complete a long-read genome for more than 2,000 All of Us participants. INFORMATION IS POWER INITIATIVE HudsonAlpha’s Information is Power Initiative offers free or reduced-cost genetic tests that look at several dozen genes associated with increased risk for breast, ovarian, colon, and endometrial cancers. Initially focusing on north Alabama, the initiative expanded its reach to individuals throughout the state, forging collaborations with #NowIn- cluded, Montgomery-area physicians, and HBCUs in the state of Alabama to reach more medically underserved areas. To date, more than 6,000 people across Alabama have taken the test and now have more power over their own health decisions. * (To learn more, visit information-is-power.org).
BRIDGES The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the
educational landscape for several years. Students began learning online, missing out on valuable hands-on learning experiences. With the support of an NSF EPSCOR grant, HudsonAlpha is providing minority students affected by the pandemic the opportunity to participate in real-world research. The year-long internship, called Boosting Retention, Interest, and Diversity through Guided Experiences in STEM (BRIDGES) , allows recent college graduates the opportunity to learn critical thinking and experimental design, get experience in molecular biology, plant biology, and genomic technologies for measuring gene expression, and learn about career opportunities available to them in the STEM field. ■
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RESEARCH REPORT
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