A large and highly heterogeneous group of individuals conducts genetic and genomic research outside of traditional corporate and academic settings. They can be an important source of innovation, but their activities largely take place beyond the purview of existing regulatory systems for promoting safe and ethical practices. Historically the gene-targeting technology available for non-traditional biology (NTB) experiments has been limited, and therefore they have attracted little regulatory attention.

ELSI.hub (a National Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis) is a collaboration between Stanford University, Columbia University and partners at the Hastings Center and Harvard University, whose mission is to enhance the production and use of ELSI research by the ELSI community and other stakeholders.

For nearly three decades, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has supported the study of the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genetic and genomic research for individuals, families and communities and supported the growth of a generation of ELSI researchers. ELSI research has developed into a multidisciplinary field that spans the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, medicine and law.

PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Researchers engaged in conducting genetic and genomic science are significant players in advancing biomedical science and health care. Through their work, they are a vital part of the ethical, legal, and social outcomes of science, but there is a gp in knowledge concerning how genomic scientists navigate the complex ethical, legal, and social issues related to their research.

The proposed R25 Research Education Program is devoted to building a 15-month research mentorship program at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics (BI) for students from diverse, underrepresented groups and backgrounds, to help diversify the pool of ELSI researchers and thus enrich scholarship in genomics and society studies. Trainees will learn research skills, build networks, and gain exposure to the range of possible training and career options in ELSI research.

Project Narrative. Advances in psychiatric, neurologic and behavioral (PNB) genetics have brought the prospect of predictive and diagnostic genomic testing for many PNB conditions closer to clinical application. The potential for such findings to profoundly affect core elements of personhood?including identity, perceived responsibilities, and life trajectories?makes it essential to understand the impact of such information on individuals and families.

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.

This Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) will prepare the candidate to become an interdisciplinary ELSI researcher with a high-quality, independently funded research program exploring the influence of the genome sciences ? including epigenetics ? on conceptualizations and understandings of health, disease, and individual responsibility. This study examines conceptualizations of epigenetics related to children's psychiatric, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health and their translation to community settings.

PROJECT NARRATIVE The goal of the biennial ELSI Congress is to provide a dedicated, regularly scheduled meeting for researchers focused on the ethical, legal and social implications of genetic and genomic research and its translation into clinical care.