Strengthening Community- Engaged Genomics Research to Improve Health Outcomes for All
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The CEAL4Genomics program fosters community engagement in genomics and genetics research.
A person’s health is shaped not only by where they live, work, and play, but also by their ancestry. Scientists study the human genome — the body’s DNA instruction manual — to understand how genes relate to each other and to their environment and how differences in DNA can lead to health differences. These insights, including the ability to screen and test for genetic risk factors, are changing the future of health and health care for people at all stages of life.
For everyone to benefit from these scientific advances, and for the field to expand its potential, genomics research should reflect the data, priorities, and interests of all people.
CEAL4Genomics aims to address differences in awareness of and access to genetic screening, testing, and research benefits. The program supports:
■ Community-engaged genomics research through sustained relationships between community and academic partners across the research process;
■ Increased trust and trustworthiness around genomics research; and
■ Meaningful collaboration to accelerate genetics and genomics research for health and chronic conditions.
Research Focus
CEAL4Genomics-funded research projects will focus on:
■ Community-engaged study designs and research questions
■ Broad community participation in research and data collection
■ Return of findings back to participating communities
■ Impactful genomics research to address differences in health outcomes
■ Sustainability through long-term partnerships
CEAL4Genomics Awardees
Case Western Reserve University
The Genomics Lifecourse Literacy and Outreach for Wellness (GLOW) project at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) aims to increase genomic health literacy across the lifespan. The CWRU GLOW team is working with Cleveland communities to co-design and pilot a new digital platform to strengthen community engagement with genomic science, screening, and testing. These efforts help build lifelong skills to manage genetic health and treatment decisions. The platform will include one module tailored to families seeking perinatal genomic information and another for adults under 50 years old who are at risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. The CWRU GLOW team includes local, regional, and national partner organizations in its efforts to build sustainable engagement and support informed genomic decision-making.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The Advancing Intergenerational Access to Genomics to Improve Health (ANCESTRAL) project brings together researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central University, and community partners to enhance understanding of and trust in genomics research and precision medicine across rural North Carolina. Through a school-based STEM leadership initiative, youth leaders will develop and implement educational programs designed to increase genomics awareness among their peers, families, and communities. For reproductive-aged adults, the project will develop and pilot the feasibility of a genomics screening and education program within maternal health care clinics that increases awareness of inherited risks associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. ANCESTRAL’s Collaboration Core will serve as a platform for a Community Learning Series that fosters bidirectional learning between community members and genetics experts. These activities will address persistent barriers to genomics engagement, including mistrust of research institutions and health care providers, as well as limited knowledge of genomics and its applications. The Collaboration Core will also identify strategies for sustainability and support the broader dissemination of project findings and resources.