Diversity Center for Genome Research at Meharry

Project Summary Meharry Medical College is committed to bridging the gaps for underrepresented, disadvantaged minority (URM) groups by establishing a Diversity Center for Genome Research (DCGR). The Diversity Center will narrow inequitable representation gaps for URM by realizing our vision to promote African ancestry genomic research

through infrastructure building and the formation of basic, clinical, and computational science research teams that are inclusive, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged. Also, the proposed DCGR will facilitate a sustainable partnership among HBCU including MMC, Fisk University, and Tennessee State University in

Nashville. The establishment of DCGR will complement MMC’s ongoing genomics capacity-building initiatives. Meharry DCGR research theme will focus on studying the genetic basis of chronic diseases prevalent in AA. Project 1 (Borza) will study the loss-of-function variant genome-phenome association in inflammatory diseases,

such as dementia, cancer, tuberculosis, and sarcoidosis (also termed: Besnier-Boeck-Schauman) that typically presents in lungs (skin or lymph nodes) as abnormal collections of inflammatory cells. Project 2 (Ivanova) aims to correlate the genetics of inflammatory/mitochondrial responses to immunophenotypes to identify prognostic

indicators of health disparities. Project 3 (Singh) aims to address barriers to recruitment and build a blood repository of AA people to evaluate disease biomarkers associated with health disparities. The DCGR efforts will be spearheaded by three Cores. The Administrative Core will manage the Center's administrative, fiscal, and

scientific aspects, including accreditation of new graduate programs, oversight of career enhancement activities for students, trainees, and faculty, and fostering synergy with other ongoing genomic training and career development activities. The Genomic Workforce Development Core will initiate new academic activities,

including new graduate programs in genomics and genetic counseling training to educate and train minority students and researchers in genomic sciences for diversifying the URM genomics research workforce. The Community Engagement Core will enhance sustainable partnerships with community-based organizations and

the AA community to address their concerns and promote their participation in the Center’s research activities. The Cores will finalize, implement, and oversee a management plan that stimulates, coordinates, integrates, and monitors activities and functions across all elements of the Cores addressing: Aim 1. Transform the

organizational infrastructure and processes supporting academic excellence in African ancestry genome research at MMC; Aim 2. Promote scholarship within the research collaborations and mentorship networks to enrich the quality of genome research and provide a nexus for scientific community building among basic, clinical,

and computational science stakeholders with social and academic integration; Aim 3. Maximize the effectiveness of a faculty cohort to advance genome research competencies and attainment of career milestones by fostering faculty development and making MMC a magnet that attracts other URM genomics scholars.