Tribal Health Research Office

NIH Tribal Advisory Committee Engagement with NIH Director and ICO Leadership on Native Health Research at the 2025 Annual Meeting

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) convened its latest in person meeting in August 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland, and virtually. The meeting brought together TAC members and NIH leadership and staff to facilitate meaningful input on NIH policies, programs, and priorities that affect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. 

The 2-day meeting featured dialogue on critical topics, including Tribal research ethics and protections; institutional review board processes and research ethics; engagement with NIH’s Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs); Tribal data sovereignty; the NIH unified strategy; and AI/AN research programs. Additionally, the day before the meeting, NIH held the Indigenous Data Sovereignty Policy Tribal Listening Session to gather feedback and recommendations from TAC members on the policy, which is under development.

Read the full summary.

NIH Tribal Health Research Office to Host the Federal Indian Boarding School Healing Summit

The NIH Tribal Health Research Office (THRO), in collaboration with the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS), is proud to announce the Federal Indian Boarding School Healing Summit. This landmark event is a key step in the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) efforts to address the intergenerational harms caused by the Indian Civilization Act and federal Indian boarding school policies on American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) communities.

The summit will spotlight cultural revitalization practices as critical pathways for healing and fostering healthful futures for AI/AN/NH communities and families. Esteemed participants will include leaders in intergenerational trauma research, community practitioners, boarding school survivors, as well as representatives from federal agencies and HHS operating divisions.

December 18, 2024 VideoCast
December 19, 2024 VideoCast
December 20, 2024 VideoCast

Key Goals of the Summit

• To identify gaps in knowledge surrounding intergenerational trauma and healing practices
• To align priorities across federal agencies for a coordinated, community-informed response
• To pave the way for new initiatives focused on individual, familial, community, and population-level healing

This significant gathering underscores a whole-of-government approach to developing strategies that honor the resilience and wisdom of AI/AN/NH communities while addressing past injustices.

Stay tuned for more details about the summit’s agenda and opportunities to participate in this vital dialogue for healing and renewal.

Building Healthful Indigenous Futures: Indigenous Science, Ways of Knowing, and Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Presentation and Discussion with Dr. Gregory Cajete (Tewa, Santa Clara Pueblo)

In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, we are proud to announce the second of two upcoming events centered on Indigenous science, knowledge, and the evolving landscape of data sovereignty. Join us for these insightful sessions as we work together to build a future grounded in respect, self-determination, and cultural integrity for Indigenous data and health research.

“I am the data, the data is me!”: Centering Culture and Indigenist Ethics and Principles in Building an Indigenous Reference Genome

Panel Discussion with Dr. Alex Brown (Yuin/Djuwin Nation), Dr. Krystal Tsosie (Diné/Navajo Nation), and Dr. Phillip Wilcox (Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Rongomaiwahine)

In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, we are proud to announce the first of two upcoming events centered on Indigenous science, knowledge, and the evolving landscape of data sovereignty. Join us for these insightful sessions as we work together to build a future grounded in respect, self-determination, and cultural integrity for Indigenous data and health research.