California Initiative for Precision Medicine (CIAPM) Representative Research Proposals is sponsored by California Health & Human Services. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Error processing SSI file California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine Representative Precision Medicine Research Program California has announced two Requests for Applications (RFAs) for innovative research proposals in ‘representative research’ aimed at leveraging the existing expertise within the state for biomedical research, with the goal of including underrepresented populations, who have been underrecognized or historically excluded, as research participants so that research benefits all Californians and reduces health disparities.

The first RFA seeks to award approximately $2. 3 million to support around 15 doctoral students conducting representative precision medicine research projects in California over a 2. 5-year project term.

The second RFA will award up to $6 million to support approximately 3-5 project teams conducting representative precision medicine research projects in California over a 2. 5-year project term.

As envisioned in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 2011 report, Toward Precision Medicine: Building a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research and a New Taxonomy of Disease , this approach aims to aggregate, integrate, and analyze vast amounts of data from research, clinical, personal, environmental, and population health settings to develop and deliver more precise preventive measures, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

Precision medicine also considers the social determinants of health and the whole person, such as age, cultural background, disability status, ethnicity/race, gender identity, geographic location, religion or faith, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Creating models of access for precision care for all communities is vital to address health disparities and positively impact clinical outcomes across subpopulations and all communities. Historically, clinical research has been characterized by a lack of representation that does not match the demographics of the disease burden or health condition under study.

This lack of representation compromises the generalizability of clinical research findings to the total population, hinders innovation, limits access to effective medical interventions and treatments, and compounds health disparities in the populations underrepresented in clinical research.

Additionally, advances in biomedical research might not be effective for people from underrepresented communities, who have been underrecognized or historically excluded in research studies, or may even be harmful. Populations underrepresented in research include, but are not limited to, racial and ethnic minoritized populations, older adults, pregnant and lactating individuals, LGBTQ+ populations, and persons with disabilities.

Clinical research and clinical trials that better match the demographics of the disease or health condition of interest addresses the historical lack of representation in research and results in representative research.

Representative Precision Medicine Research Precision medicine offers the opportunity to support doctoral student representative research that develops insights from previous or newly generated datasets, training and educational opportunities that leverage research, clinical, and/or community expertise, and technological capabilities to address health disparities and work towards a healthier, more equitable society.

Through this RFA , CIAPM seeks to fund approximately $2. 3 million for around 15 doctoral students conducting representative precision medicine research projects in California over a 2. 5-year project term.

The applicant must be a current PhD, DrPH, MD-PhD, or other doctoral-level student conducting research at a non-profit California academic research institution and in good academic standing. Applicants should have identified a specific research project and a mentor that will supervise and support the research.

The applicant must describe how their application will support representative research, incorporate a precision medicine approach to address health disparities, potentially including social determinants of health data and/or community-engaged research approaches, and enhance their own education and training.

Projects must take place in California, and data should focus on people that live in California but is not limited to only California populations. Applicants are encouraged to submit questions and consult with CIAPM staff to ensure their application is responsive to this RFA. Email ciapm@chhs.

ca. gov with subject line “Doctoral Student Representative Research RFA. ” CIAPM staff will strive to respond within 48 business hours; response times may be longer as deadlines approach.

RFA Informational Webinar Read the RFA (updated December 16, 2025) Watch the Informational Webinar FAQs (updated January 14, 2026) FAQs (updated December 16, 2025) RFA for Representative Precision Medicine Research through Partnerships Precision medicine offers the opportunity to support representative research that develops insights from previous or newly generated datasets and includes academic-community or academic-academic partnerships that leverage research, clinical, and/or community expertise to address health disparities and work towards a healthier, more equitable society.

Through this RFA , CIAPM seeks to fund up to $6 million for approximately 3-5 project teams conducting representative precision medicine research projects in California over a 2. 5-year project term. The Lead PI must hold a faculty position at a California non-profit academic research institution.

Projects must be co-led by either (1) at least one nonprofit community-based organization, patient advocacy group, community clinic, or public or tribal entity that adds lived experience, expertise, and community or data assets OR (2) another California non-profit academic research institution that adds capacity, expertise, capability, scalability, and/or training opportunities.

Partnerships should aim to break down silos between academic institutions and communities or between academic institutions, connect different areas and methods of analyses within precision medicine (such cellular and biological systems as well as community, population, and societal systems), and foster co-learning in which partners’ strengths and capacity needs are acknowledged for meaningful integration of perspectives.

Partnership authenticity should be evident from project conception to completion and beyond. Applicants are encouraged to submit questions and consult with CIAPM staff to ensure their application is responsive to this RFA. Email ciapm@chhs.

ca. gov with subject line “Partnerships Representative Research RFA. ” CIAPM staff will strive to respond within 48 business hours; response times may be longer as deadlines approach.

RFA Informational Webinar Letter of Intent Deadline Initial Application Deadline Notification of Finalists Full Application Deadline Watch the Informational Webinar FAQs (updated January 14 2026) FAQs (updated November 13 2025)