Education, News & Events: Webinars

AAHRPP is pleased to announce a free new resource for our community, "Ask AAHRPP", a live webinar opportunity to get your questions about accreditation answered by AAHRPP staff and representatives from accredited organizations. "Ask AAHRPP" webinars will spotlight various aspects of the accreditation process, such as conducting a self-assessment, putting together an accreditation application, and responding to reports and requests from AAHRPP. 

• Tuesday, June 13, 2023, 3:00pm ET: Evaluation of Written Materials
• Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 3:00pm ET: Evaluation of Practice
• Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 3:00pm ET: Council on Accreditation Review
• Tuesday, December 12, 2023, 3:00pm ET: Response to Council Review

Click below to register for the June 13, 2023 "Ask AAHRPP" webinar:  

As our understanding of human genomics improves so does the potential for a significant improvement in the way diseases are prevented and treated. However, a lack of genetic diversity of biospecimens collected and analyzed for research represents a considerable barrier to moving genetic research into clinical practice or public health policy. One recent article, for example, noted that 78% individuals included in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are of European descent. Such limited diversity poses substantial scientific challenges, especially when it is likely that GWAS findings may not be generalizable across populations and inadvertently continue health inequities or lead to inappropriate or ineffective treatments for some individuals. IRBs and HRPPs should be aware of these limitations and implications of genomic research so that they can help ensure studies that involve biospecimen collection with plans to perform genomic analyses are scientifically sound and promote equitable selection of subjects.

This webinar will explore:

· Why genomic research in diverse populations is important to addressing health disparities and advancing clinical knowledge 

· How an increase in diversity of genomes has changed the understanding of some health conditions and approaches to treatment

· The current state of genomic research and barriers to the inclusion of diverse populations 

· The issues researchers, IRBs and HRPPs should consider when designing, reviewing, and conducting research involving biospecimen collection for genomic analysis to ensure equitable subject selection and sound study design that promotes generalizability to diverse populations