Forging our Futures: Studying Science to Protect Tribal Health

ABSTRACT - Forging our Futures: Studying Science to Protect Tribal Health: NW NARCH Program
Indian country has been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with skyrocketing incidence and
mortality rates in many tribal communities. The scientific issues related to many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 and
its spread are now recognized by a large proportion of tribal people, young and old. We have a unique window
of opportunity to take advantage of this new awareness of public health as a catalyst to encourage young tribal
people to consider population health sciences for career choices. If the pandemic continues or new pathogens
circulate, the energy and commitment of well-trained tribal scientists who concentrate on issues that are most
pressing to tribal well-being will be highly welcomed and valued.
Our overall goal in the long-term is to develop a larger cadre of NW tribal people who will engage in
population health sciences and related research careers. For this particular grant, however, we will include the
following aims as we work to develop a pipeline of high school students who will become future researchers:
1. Develop and implement a population health sciences research introductory program for tribal high
school juniors and seniors that uses public health challenges and diseases of tribal health importance
to introduce diverse topics in population health scientific research (such as virology, genetics, vaccine
development, laboratory methods, epidemiology, environmental health, data science)
2. Assist participating students with development of their own research projects with the help of local
mentors, near-peer mentors, and with assistance from population health scientists at the Indian Health
Board and its two partner universities (OHSU and Portland State University).
3. Promote selection of population health science major fields of study in undergraduate programs
following high school graduation in NW colleges and universities.
4. Evaluate the program thoroughly from the viewpoints of process, impact, and outcomes.
We have had enormous success in supporting tribal researchers in graduate school programs, summer
research training institute programs, internships, cancer prevention fellowships, and in inclusion of college
undergraduates in various research roles at the NW Portland Area Indian Health Board. We will use the
population science lens to introduce the high school students to the many fields that make up population health
sciences, including laboratory sciences, infectious diseases, data science, immunology, epidemiology,
environmental health, and other related areas. Our program will be unique in Indian country, and the success
of our efforts will be furthered through our partnership with two premier research universities located nearby.

Grant Number: 5S06GM145214-04
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: THOMAS BECKER