# Pharmacogenomic approaches to drug metabolism in American Indian/Alaska Native People

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2022 · $294,086

## Abstract

From original submission, has not changed.
Summary
Pharmacogenetic testing is expected to enhance drug safety and efficacy while improving clinical outcomes by
tailoring treatment regimens to the individual. Key to maximizing benefits of this approach will be
comprehensive characterization of genetic variation that modulates drug absorption, distribution, metabolism
and excretion, drug target interaction and pharmacological response across populations. Significant advances
in cataloguing pharmacogenomic profiles from major populations of the world have aided clinical applications
but have largely excluded historically marginalized populations and small, geographically isolated populations,
including American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people. These populations continue to be
underrepresented in genomic research for a variety of reasons: lack of community engagement, historical
mistrust, and geographical remoteness. Recent genetic studies by the Northwest Alaska Pharmacogenetic
Research Network (NWA-PGRN)—a center with multiple institutional and tribal partners—have shown that
AIAN people carry variants in pharmacogenes that are both novel and common, have allele frequencies of
known variants that are different than other ethnic or racial groups, and display high inter-tribal variability as
well. To broaden this research, we propose to leverage the lessons learned and build on research from the
NWA-PGRN to understand inter-individual variation in drug responses and provide novel indicators and
guidelines for implementing personalized medicine in AIAN communities. Our overall goal is to fill this
knowledge gap through characterizing genomic variation of pharmacogenes in a wide range of AIAN
populations using an ethical and community-engaged framework that focuses on developing and deepening
research partnerships with AIAN communities. We also seek to investigate the relationships between
genotype-phenotype of novel variants using in silico prediction and in vivo functional assays. This work will
create a general model for genomic research that engages communities in the research plan throughout the
research project (from start to completion and beyond) and will serve as a foundational way to shift the
research framework in genomics.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10603294
- **Project number:** 3R35HG011319-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Katrina G Claw
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $294,086
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10603294

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10603294, Pharmacogenomic approaches to drug metabolism in American Indian/Alaska Native People (3R35HG011319-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10603294. Licensed CC0.

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