UAF receives $21.25 million grant to expand biomedical research

UAF receives $21.25 million grant to expand biomedical research

The University of Alaska Fairbanks has received a five-year, $21.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to strengthen biomedical research and training across Alaska.

The grant renews the NIH Institutional Development Award known as the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence, or INBRE.

Alaska INBRE, established in 2001 and led by UAF, is a statewide collaboration that includes the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of Alaska Southeast, the Southcentral Foundation, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Iḷisaġvik College. The program follows a One Health approach, which recognizes that human health is connected to the health of animals and the environment.

According to Jason Burkhead, AK INBRE director and professor of biology in UAF's Institute of Arctic Biology, the new award adds an emphasis on undergraduate training while continuing to support mentoring and professional development for biomedical researchers at all career stages. The program is organized around a developmental research program, a student research program and three research cores: data science, research analytics and community-based participatory research.

Current projects include research into prenatal care in Southeast Alaska communities, food security and toxins in subsistence foods such as shellfish. Previous INBRE funding supported studies of tick-borne pathogens, infections among migrating salmon and the risks of avian influenza to hunters.

In addition to Burkhead, Alaska INBRE is led by associate director Julie Benson and program coordinator Kristin O'Brien. Research cores are led by Katie Cueva for community-based participatory research, Devin Drown for data science and Patrick Tomco for research analytics.

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Jason Burkhead, [email protected], 907-786-4765

070-26