# Precision pharmacogenomics and Indigenous research: A novel approach to tobacco cessation efficacy in American Indian communities

> **NIH NIH DP1** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $982,800

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY:
The leading cause of health inequities and premature death in the United States (US) is smoking. Creating
equitable access to smoking cessation aids and supporting quit attempts by smokers from diverse racial and
ethnic groups are top health priorities. Advancements to personalizing smoking cessation treatment based on
the genetic profiles of individuals is promising but requires further scientific knowledge and research, especially
in historically marginalized groups such as American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) peoples. Important
conversations with AIAN community stakeholders about genomics and innovative community-based
participatory research (CBPR) approaches have set the stage for more Indigenous-centered approaches to
science. Merging these advancements to develop an Indigenous pharmacogenomics approach to smoking
cessation is lacking in the field and holds promise to support innovative smoking cessation efforts through
personalized treatment and culturally appropriate interventions. This project aims to leverage the promise of
genome-wide and epigenome-wide association studies, which have successfully mapped thousands of loci
associated with complex traits, as methods to reveal altered mechanism in nicotine metabolism and will result in
a better understanding of the relationship between nicotine metabolism, smoking cessation, and corresponding
tobacco-related disease and death in AI communities. Working closely with the Strong Heart Study (SHS) cohort,
the longest running study of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and its risk factors among AI communities, we will
evaluate associations between genomic and epigenomic variation with nicotine metabolism, predict risk factors
for smoking behavior and health outcomes, and use a CBPR approach to have conversations and develop a
culturally appropriate intervention for smoking and tobacco use in AI communities. The SHS prioritizes research
from American Indian investigators and the topic of nicotine metabolism and its relation to genomic/epigenomic
variation and smoking cessation research is a significant area of interest. A three phased approach will be used
to promote health equity and smoking cessation efficacy. The phases of this proposal are 1) to identify genetic
and epigenetic influences on nicotine metabolism in AI smokers using a genome-wide and candidate
resequencing approach, 2) develop genetic risk scores to examine associations with behavioral traits and
comorbidities, and 3) develop a personalized approach to incorporating precision medicine as well as traditional
and cultural knowledge to improve smoking cessation efficacy. Importantly, phase 3 community engagement will
be continuous throughout the research proposal, with the diverse AI communities involved in the SHS
contributing to study outcomes and future directions guided by these interactions. This study will provide a
framework for tailoring precision medicine with cultural considerations in diverse AI communi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10984678
- **Project number:** 1DP1DA061279-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Katrina G Claw
- **Activity code:** DP1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $982,800
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10984678

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10984678, Precision pharmacogenomics and Indigenous research: A novel approach to tobacco cessation efficacy in American Indian communities (1DP1DA061279-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10984678. Licensed CC0.

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