PROJECT NARRATIVE The purpose of this R25 Diversity Action Plan grant proposal is to create a program that will equip students with disabilities with mentoring, research, and curricular resources that facilitate their advancement towards becoming members of the ELSI community of scholars.

Project Narrative The lack of American Indian and Alaska Native professionals in genomic sciences today highlights the tremendous need for effective training and research programs to prepare the next generation of indigenous students to be successful in their pursuit of careers in genetics research. This program combines didactic and experiential training activities, together with indigenous and community-based models of learning, to engage underrepresented Native students in research on the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics research.

The incorporation of genetics and genomics into medical care and the public domain raises new challenges for how we understand privacy and identity, concepts that have long been closely linked in American discourse.

Prenatal screening and testing technologies using genetic methods are rapidly expanding, offering increasing amounts of genetic information about the fetus. However, research shows that women from underserved populations are less likely to receive or accept prenatal genetic services, leading to discordant birth outcomes. We propose to explore the barriers to access and acceptance of prenatal genetic care among women from underserved populations.