Over the last year, University Libraries and the Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center have been actively engaged in the National Institutes of Health sponsored All of Us Research Program (AoU).  For those who are unfamiliar with AoU, it is a longitudinal cohort study aimed at advancing precision medicine and improving human health through partnering with one million or more diverse participants from across the United States with an explicit goal of building a database that includes information from historically underrepresented populations.  Researchers are encouraged to access and use this rich and diverse protected health information database and associated analysis platform to improve human health.


Some of the significant developments over the past year include:

  • Data Accessibility and Research Advancements:
    •  They've opened up their massive data trove to more researchers, including companies, to speed up health breakthroughs.
  • Diversity and Inclusion Efforts:
    •  They're leading the way in diversity by creating the biggest LGBTQIA+ health database out there.
  • Community Engagement and Education:
    •  HSLIC has provided overviews workshops. Dates and times, as well as workshop registration, are available here:  https://goto.unm.edu/hslicevents
    •  AoU has given back to the folks who participate by providing them with DNA reports that give a heads-up about different health risks, which is not only helpful for them but also adds to what we know about various health issues.
  • Scientific Contributions and Publications:
    • Researchers have been digging into this goldmine of data, kicking off over 10,000 projects and publishing loads of studies on everything from cancer to mental health. Looking ahead, they're planning to bring even more folks into the mix, including kids, and they want to link up more detailed data to give researchers even more to work with.

If you would like to learn more about the All of Us Research Program including what is in the datasets and how to register for access, please find additional information about the Program in the UNM library’s research guides:  
     Health and Health Sciences: https://libguides.health.unm.edu/allofus/allofus
     Main and Branch Campuses: https://libguides.unm.edu/allofus

Good news!  If you are a UNM researcher already using the All of Us Research Program datasets, you can apply for funding for additional cloud storage and computational resources at Request research funds.  Researchers enrolled in the program already receive a $300 credit, but you can receive additional funding by filling out the online form mentioned above.
By Deborah Rhue and Lori Sloane