From May 30 to June 2, George Mason University will host the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Journey, a traveling, hands-on exhibit about the All of Us Research Program, which aims to speed up health research and medical breakthroughs. To do so, All of Us is asking 1 million volunteers to share different types of health and lifestyle information—information like where they live, what they do, and their family health history.
“National research programs like All of Us are so important in the advancement of public health. With information from this program, researchers here at Mason and across the country will learn more about our similarities and difference and help improve the public’s health. I hope our Mason community will learn more and consider participating,” said Alison Cuellar, interim associate dean for research at Mason’s College of Public Health.&n
The All of Us exhibit at Mason will take place May 30 to June 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Merten Lawn. It is sponsored by University Libraries, Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center, and the College of Public Health. Download the flyer here.
The exhibit is for those who are interested in learning more about the program and the impact it can have on the public’s health and well-being. Additionally, the mobile exhibit includes an opportunity for visitors to sign up to participate in the program by answering surveys and giving their physical measurements and blood and urine samples. The exhibit includes:
-
A virtual reality experience.
-
Private rooms for physical measurement and bio sample collection, and
-
An interactive station where participants can write a note to share with others about their inspiration for joining the program.
The program is open to people both healthy and sick, from all communities. Unlike a single research study focused on a specific disease or community, the All of Us Research Program will create a research resource to inform thousands of studies, covering a wide range of health conditions. This information could help researchers learn more about different diseases and treatments and improve health for generations to come.
In conjunction with this exhibit, faculty, graduate students, and researchers can join a webinar that showcases how the All of Us database can be used in public health research. Ashley Green, MLIS, senior research projects coordinator for the All of Us Research Program, will present. The All of Us Research Workbench Webinar is June 1 from 12–1 p.m. in Fenwick Library and virtually.
The All of Us Researcher Workbench is the largest, most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind. Built in partnership with participants spanning different ages, races, ethnicities, and regions of the country, it currently includes physical measurements, surveys, wearables, electronic health records, and genomics. Join us as we learn about the participants, explore the data offered, and see how to start a research project using All of Us data and tools.
The All of Us Journey engages community members nationwide and raises awareness about the All of Us Research Program through various educational activities and experiences. To learn more about the All of Us Research Program, please visit JoinAllofUs.org/tour.
For more information about All of Us at Mason, email Kathy Butler, health sciences librarian, at kbutle18@gmu.edu.