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National Insitutes of Health research program stops in Missoula

Posted at 10:59 AM, Jul 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-17 12:59:31-04

MISSOULA – The National Institutes of Health All of Us medical research program is setting up shop in Caras Park on Wednesday.

The program was started in 2015 to gather data and advance precision medicine through research.

The University of Montana Rural Institute, Summit Independent Living, and the American Association on Health and Disability bring the program to Missoula.

The program is looking for 1 million volunteers from different backgrounds to participate by answering survey questions, giving physical measurements and DNA samples.

The information gathered goes into a database for future medical research surveys. The program gathers data about where participants live, what they do, and their family medical history.

Tour Manager Mel Lopez says she wanted to volunteer because only one percent of Hispanics are usually represented in medical research.

“I know the environmental and the lifestyle questions are very important, and that’s why we’re in Montana,” Lopez said.

Somebody in Montana [has] a whole other lifestyle and environment than somebody in California, or in Florida. So let’s start asking those questions, let’s start building that research that database,” he added.

The tour will be in Caras Park on Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and of Friday from 7 a.m. until to 11 a.m.

The tour bus is making stops in Washington and Oregon next.

For more information on the program you can visit allofus.nih.gov.