# Cherokee Nation Research Immersion Student Experiences( Cherokee Rise)

> **NIH NIH S06** · CHEROKEE NATION · 2024 · $252,071

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
American Indian (AI) populations face significant health inequities, yet there is an underrepresentation of AI
individuals in the scientific and research workforce. Research indicates the low number of AI students that
progress through the educational and career pathway is due, in part, to a lack of culturally competent educational
services, support systems, and mentors. Due to these inequities and lack of resources and mentoring, there is a
critical need to foster sustained partnerships between Tribal Nations and institutions conducting intensive
academic-level health research to recruit AI students and support their pathway to health research careers.
Cherokee Nation has partnered with the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) to
develop the Cherokee Nation Research Immersion Student Experiences (RISE) program in order to foster
interest and expertise specifically in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health research. Cherokee Nation RISE
aims to train the next generation of AI scientists to achieve health equity. Cherokee Nation has as longstanding
partnership in research with OU. Cherokee Nation has partnered with OSU to establish the nation’s first tribally-
affiliated college of medicine in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, which is the location of the tribe’s headquarters. Cherokee
Nation RISE will reach across multiple levels of trainees from high school through graduate school as well as
medical students and residents to expose AI trainees to health research at each level of the scientific pathway.
The project aims are to 1) Support AI students and trainees along the scientific pathway with health research
exposure, hands-on research experiences and formal mentorship; 2) Increase the pool of biomedical
researchers who are formally trained in mentoring and dedicated to mentoring and engaging AI students in their
ongoing research programs; 3) Develop and maintain an online community for Cherokee Nation RISE students,
mentors, and program alumni for networking, sustainment of engaged research and mentoring, and evaluation
and tracking. Through the NARCH partnership, Cherokee Nation is well-positioned to develop a cadre of AI
students and trainees engaged in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral health research; increase the pool of
faculty who are formally trained in mentoring AI students; and build an online community to evaluate, improve,
and sustain the program. Through expanded partnerships and the creation of a Cherokee Nation RISE Advisory
Board, we aim to lay the foundation for a large-scale inter-institutional training program across all levels of
students and trainees in order to facilitate the pathway to health research careers focused on improving AI health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10912528
- **Project number:** 5S06GM146122-03
- **Recipient organization:** CHEROKEE NATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Sara Katherine Vesely
- **Activity code:** S06 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $252,071
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-20 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10912528

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10912528, Cherokee Nation Research Immersion Student Experiences( Cherokee Rise) (5S06GM146122-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10912528. Licensed CC0.

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