Hispanic/Latino Population Researchers Convene to Advance Health Equity
, by Jennifer K. Loukissas, M.P.P.
Organizers and in-person attendees of the meeting. Many others participated remotely.
On December 6, 2024, DCEG investigators Constanza Camargo, Ph.D., M.S., and Katherine A. McGlynn, Ph.D., both senior investigators in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Jill Koshiol, Ph.D., senior investigator in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, and Jessica Madrigal, Ph.D., Independent Research Scholar in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, hosted a hybrid meeting to discuss on-going or planned projects among Hispanic/Latino populations. The meeting was organized by the NIH Hispanic Health Research Scientific Interest Group.
Hispanic/Latino populations are underrepresented in health research and face a variety of health-related inequalities. The uniquely collaborative environment, shared expertise, and availability of resources at the NIH can be leveraged to make a difference in people’s lives by contributing to the reduction of health disparities among Hispanic/Latino populations.
The half-day event was convened to learn about existing research projects among Hispanic/Latino populations across the NIH and to promote trans-NIH research collaborations to address health disparities and inequities among Hispanic/Latino populations.
NIH staff, including fellows, conducting research among Hispanic/Latino populations were invited to present their research and Hispanic/Latino investigators shared highlights of their career paths and research. Among the external participants was Ms. Ysabel Duron, a leading patient activist around Latino community engagement. Ms. Duron is a member of the NCI National Cancer Advisory Board and the Institutional Review Board for the NIH All of Us Research program.
The meeting was open to all NIH staff members. Several researchers from other NIH Institutes and Centers participated both in person and online. A similar event took place last year.