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Dr. Tomas Nuño named All of Us research program co-investigator

Leadership and expertise will help to involve underrepresented groups in biomedical research

All of Us Research Program UArizona-Banner is excited to welcome Tomas Nuño, PhD, as the newest co-investigator for the program. His leadership in public health and expertise and research on health disparities among minority populations will align well with the mission of All of Us to represent the rich diversity of the United States in health research.

Dr. Nuño joins the program to help guide engagement efforts with a special focus on engaging diverse communities. An assistant research professor in the Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dr. Nuño’s work has focused on supporting underserved communities in Arizona and the study of health disparities and prevention of diseases such Type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, especially among LatinX populations. This emphasis will support All of Us UArizona-Banner’s efforts to enroll participants who have traditionally been underrepresented in biomedical research. Dr. Nuño’s leadership, guidance, and innovation will by key to furthering the All of Us Research Program.

“Dr. Nuño’s track record of community congruent service and research fits perfectly with the mission of All of Us.” says Francisco Moreno, PhD, a principal investigator with the program, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion at UArizona Health Sciences and a professor of psychiatry at the College of Medicine - Tucson. “He will facilitate further integration of our engagement efforts with Dr. Cecilia Rosales and the Mobile Health Units, enhancing the support for our community service partners and all Arizonans.”

Dr. Nuño will be taking over for Dr. Rosales, who is departing as co-investigator for the program. As an associate dean and professor at the Zuckerman College of Public Health, she brought direction with purpose to her role. Her work promoting healthy lifestyles in LatinX communities in Maricopa County and implementing mobile health units to service rural areas of Arizona has lent unique perspective to the program and supported the initiative of All of Us to recruit a diverse base of participants to ensure all communities are represented in biomedical research. Thanks to her efforts, and that of the entire All of Us team, Arizona has enrolled more than 40,000 participant partners to the program, more than 80% of whom are in communities that are underrepresented in biomedical research. 

Diversity in research is important. By studying data from a diverse group of people, researchers can learn more about what makes people sick or keeps them healthy. That’s why diversity is one of the program’s core values. To learn more, visit AllofUsAZ.org.

The University of Arizona-Banner Health Program is supported under the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program funding award OT2OD026549 with previous awards UG3OD023171-01 and UG3OD023171-01S1. 

“All of Us” and the All of Us logo are registered service marks of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).

About the All of Us Research Program

 The mission of the All of Us Research Program is to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, enabling individualized prevention, treatment, and care for all of us. The program will partner with one million or more people across the United States to build the most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind, to help researchers gain better insights into the biological, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence health. For more information, visit JoinAllofUs.org and allofus.nih.gov  For Arizona news, visit AllofUsAZ.org  or Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @AllofUsAZ

About Banner Health

Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, Banner Medical Group, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services, including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information visit www.BannerHealth.com or Facebook.

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences

Located on campuses in Tucson and Phoenix, the University of Arizona Health Sciences is one of the top-ranked academic medical centers in the southwestern United States. UArizona Health Sciences includes the College of Medicine – Phoenix, College of Medicine – Tucson, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. In addition, 12 UArizona Health Sciences centers focus on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, pain and addiction, and respiratory diseases; biomedical informatics, health technology innovation and simulation training; and precision health care and health disparities. A leader in next-generation education, biomedical research and public outreach, UArizona Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners more than $200 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).

 
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