NOT-RM-24-001: Request for Information (RFI): Increasing the usability of Common Fund data resources by researchers from underrepresented groups

Request for Information (RFI): Increasing the usability of Common Fund data resources by researchers from underrepresented groups (NOT-RM-24-001)

Due: February 29, 2024, 5PM ET

Purpose: The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather input from the public in preparation for an upcoming community engagement workshop. The workshop, planned for the summer of 2024, will address ways to engage a broader population of researchers in the use of Common Fund data. We invite input to identify and better understand barriers that prevent researchers from historically underserved and underrepresented groups from using large NIH datasets (including Common Fund data sets) in biomedical research, learn about data resources outside the Common Fund that have been successful in this regard, and gather recommendations on how to meet the bioinformatics needs of a diverse group of researchers.

For the full announcement see NOT-RM-24-001.

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and responses are voluntary. Please do not include any information you do not wish to be made public. If you have any questions, please email CommonFundWorkshop@od.nih.gov.

Instructions

Please use the fields below to submit your response to this RFI. Responses can address any or all the items requested. There is no word limit for responses.

Responses will need to be submitted at one time. You will not be able to save your work and return to it. It is recommended that you draft your responses in another document to allow for edits and then copy over your responses when you are ready to submit.

1. Definitions and critical factors

Identify and define any critical factors or considerations related to engagement with data resources by researchers from underrepresented groups. Please include which underrepresented group these definitions are applicable to.

Identify any definitions that you suspect are different between your community, organization or interest group and other groups. If you are identifying cultural definition differences, please identify the underrepresented group to which these definitions may apply.

2. Barriers to engagement

What are barriers to engagement with large data sets for biomedical research in general?

What barriers are unique to researchers from underrepresented groups?

(See the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity, NOT-OD-20-031, for a description of underrepresented groups in biomedical research.)

Identify any additional barriers related specifically to the use of Common Fund data for biomedical research.

How can the specific barriers, problems, or issues faced by researchers from underrepresented groups be identified?

3. Examples of success

Provide examples of efforts (within or outside NIH) that were successful in supporting researchers from underrepresented groups in engaging with large data sets. Examples can relate specifically to bioinformatics or to data science more generally.

What are the critical success factors of these efforts?

4. Meeting researchers’ needs

How can the specific needs (e.g., training, support, other) of researchers from underrepresented groups be met? Responses can consider improving existing efforts or suggesting new initiatives.

How can the NIH Common Fund improve outreach and increase use of Common Fund data resources by researchers from underrepresented backgrounds?

Thank you for your responses. NIH staff will carefully review all responses and will not provide comments to any individual respondent’s submission. Any identifiers (e.g., names, institutions, e-mail addresses, etc.) will be removed when responses are compiled.

To receive notices related to the planned community engagement workshop, please email CommonFundWorkshop@od.nih.gov.