American College Health Association and Scripps Research Translational Institute Partner to Bring the NIH All of Us Research Program to College Campuses

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College Health Association (ACHA) and Scripps Research Translational Institute have announced a partnership to bring the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program to five campuses this academic year in a pilot program.

All of Us is building the largest, most diverse health resource of its kind by asking one million or more participants to share their health information. Data from such a large and diverse group of people will enable scientists to see patterns in how different factors—from genetics to lifestyle habits—impact a person's health, why some people respond differently to the same condition or treatment, and ultimately how to treat each person based on their unique health story.

Scripps Research is heading up key aspects of the initiative that make it possible for anyone anywhere to participate in research, including integrating mobile health technologies such as wearable devices into the research program, and digital enrollment and engagement of volunteers.

"All of Us represents a far-reaching initiative for what's possible in medical research today and in the future—how each individual can generate useful data about their own health and what makes them tick," says Eric Topol, MD, Founder and Director of Scripps Research Translational Institute, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Executive Vice-President of Scripps Research. "The initiative will provide an unprecedented window into individual differences in biology, physiology, lifestyle, and environment that shape human health and ultimately will enable us to more effectively prevent and treat illness."

The partnership with ACHA will bring awareness about the program to young, diverse students who are eager to address health inequities on and off campus.

"Many students are seeing health inequities play out in real time as their families have been greatly impacted by COVID-19. Participation in the All of Us program is its own form of health activism, and we think students are ready to take on that challenge," says Devin Jopp, EdD, ACHA's CEO.

The five participating schools include Albion College, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Florida International University, Texas Southern University, and University of Louisville. These schools will enlist the help of student engagement associates to bring awareness and education to other students.

For more information on the All of Us Research Program, visit JoinAllofUs.org/students.

About ACHA

The American College Health Association (www.acha.org) is a national nonprofit association and the nation's principal leadership organization for advancing the health of college students and campus communities through advocacy, education, and research. ACHA's diverse membership provides and supports the delivery of healthcare, prevention, and wellness services for the nation's 20 million college students. ACHA advocates for integrating the critical role of college health into the mission of higher education.

About the Scripps Research Translational Institute

The Scripps Research Translational Institute, formerly named Scripps Translational Science Institute, was founded in 2007 with one essential aim—to individualize healthcare by leveraging the remarkable progress being made in human genomics and combining it with the power of wireless digital technologies. Bringing together basic scientists and clinical investigators, the Translational Institute fosters highly collaborative multidisciplinary research with the greatest potential to transform the practice of healthcare and improve human health.

About the All of Us Research Program

The mission of the All of Us Research Program is to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, enabling individualized prevention, treatment, and care for all of us. The program will partner with one million or more people across the U.S. to build the most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind, to help researchers gain better insights into the biological, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence health. For more information, visit www.JoinAllofUs.org/students.

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SOURCE American College Health Association