# Maintenance and Enhancement of the Asian American enriched Cohort

> **NIH NIH U24** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $423,750

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Over 90% of Asian American (AsA) adults are either first-generation (foreign-born) or second-generation
immigrants, experiencing a substantial environmental and sociocultural transition in this country. Yet, most
environmental epidemiology cohorts have rarely included sufficient numbers of AsA. The FAMiLI (Food and
Microbiome Longitudinal Investigation), is the only large environmental epidemiology cohort, incorporating a
broad spectrum of AsA. We uniquely capture environmental, diet acculturation, and sociocultural factors—pre
and post-immigration at baseline, and with repeated assessments during follow-up. A biobank, including buccal
and stool samples, will greatly advance biological discoveries in the oral and gut microbiomes, metabolomics,
human genomics, and other omics markers. Lastly, the FAMiLI represents an exceptional opportunity to
compare risk associations in Chinese and Korean Americans, with those in their native countries, through well-
established Chinese and Korean cohort studies in the Asia Cohort Consortium, providing valuable insight into
Asian ancestry, migration, and health outcomes.
The overarching rationale for FAMiLi is to examine from an “exposome” perspective, the biological, lifestyle,
behavioral, environmental, and sociocultural factors that impact the AsA health disparities, with the ultimate goal
of improving AsA health. Initiated in 2018, we completed an initial recruitment and biospecimen collection of
12,000 study participants (aged 35–75 years), including 5,000 AsA. Through this U24, we propose to maintain
FAMiLI data and biospecimens and enrich the cohort through additional recruitment, data collection,
biorepository, data management collaboration, and enhancing workforce diversity.
The FAMiLI was a unique nationwide resource with extensive data and biospecimen collection to answer
important scientific questions advancing environmental health science relevant to NIEHS strategic plan, including
the microbiome, the exposome, individual superstability, and data science/big data. These questions include
critical windows of environmental changes through the immigration experience in the new country, racial
disparities, and the factors underlying the increase in health outcomes. The FAMiLI with integrated community
participation will be a foundation to translate knowledge into action regarding disparities in AsA, the often
marginalized and underserved population, and further foster collaborations and bring workforce diversity for
underserved populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10809884
- **Project number:** 1U24ES036002-01
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jiyoung Ahn
- **Activity code:** U24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $423,750
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-06 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10809884

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10809884, Maintenance and Enhancement of the Asian American enriched Cohort (1U24ES036002-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10809884. Licensed CC0.

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