The United Health Foundation has awarded a $2 million, three-year grant to Harris-Stowe State University to create a bioinformatics program for undergraduate students at the historically Black university located in St. Louis.
HSSU will develop a new undergraduate program to train students for careers as bioinformatics professionals. The university will use the support to:
Building a More Diverse Health Workforce
There is a substantial gap in the number of diverse college students trained in biomedical sciences.
“The United Health Foundation is honored to collaborate with Harris-Stowe State University to increase the diversity of the life sciences workforce. We are excited about HSSU training students who will make discoveries, develop therapies and advance health care for all.”
– Patrick Quinn, CEO of UnitedHealthcare in Missouri
What is bioinformatics?
Bioinformatics is an emerging life sciences field combining science, physics, math and biology to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and discovery of new therapeutic advancements. For example, bioinformatics was used in computer analysis on the Human Genome Project, which mapped the human DNA system.
“Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field of study, and it is vital for all people to play a role in its advancement. This new program will help Harris-Stowe State University build on its work in training students for high-tech careers, as well as continue to fulfill our mission of serving historically underrepresented students.”
– Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, Interim President, HSSU
Related
Advancing Health Equity
Explore UnitedHealth Group’s annual Sustainability Report to learn more about our efforts to address health disparities and advance health equity.
Share This Story