NIH Grant Expansion, Ancestral Diversity, and Scientific Collaborations in Genomics Research

The underrepresentation of minority populations in human genomics research has raised growing concerns regarding distributive justice in translating biomedical innovations into human health across populations. We assess how public funding policy helps address the missing diversity in the context of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Our identification draws on an exogenous NIH grant expansion under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. We find that the ARRA-NIH grant expansion contributes to an increase in the inclusion of minority ancestries in GWAS. It also facilitates the engagement of minority scientists and promotes their role in scientific collaborations