California is funding opportunities for innovative research in ‘representative research’ aimed at leveraging the existing expertise within our state for biomedical research, with the goal of including underrepresented populations, who have been underrecognized or historically excluded, as research participants so research can benefit all Californians and reduce health disparities.
To achieve this, the California Initiative for Precision Medicine (CIAPM) is launching two Request for Applications (RFAs) to inspire and support researchers in the state to bridge interdisciplinary fields and/or create authentic partnerships amongst institutions and/or between institutions and the communities they serve.
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.
The funding will support precision medicine research studies in California that leverage, integrate, or generate datasets and develop new insights that reduce health disparities.
What is Precision Medicine and Why is it Important?
“Precision medicine can be best described as providing the right treatment for the right patient at the right time, essentially viewing the patient as a whole person,” said CIAPM Chief Science Officer Dr. David Reiner. “The research we intend to fund seeks to provide innovative approaches to implement personalized, meaningful, and effective treatments, diagnostic tools, and preventative care that are reflective of the diversity of California.”
Research is often plagued by silos between academic institutions and/or between communities being served. The funded academic research projects will aim to break down these silos to create more comprehensive and successful precision medicine approaches and focus on representative precision medicine research.
Why ‘Representative Research’ is Important in Precision Medicine?
“ To advance our goal of a healthy California for all, we need research that is representative of ALL Californians,” said Kim Johnson, Secretary of California Health and Human Services.
“ By making clinical research more representative of California’s diversity, research reduces health disparities, and promotes health innovation for all California communities.”
Further, doctoral students are the backbone of the biomedical workforce in California, comprising between 55-68% of the workforce across public and private institutions. These students are often incredibly diverse, and more often propose and publish on topics reflective of their communities.
Doctoral student applicants must submit their full applications by January 30, 2026. Partnership RFA applicants must submit a non-binding and non-scored Letter of Intent by November 21, 2025, followed by an initial application due January 23, 2026. Please visit the CIAPM website at ciapm.chhs.ca.gov for more details on submission eligibility and requirements or contact CIAPM at ciapm@chhs.ca.gov.
About the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine
Housed in the California Health and Human Services Agency, the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM) was launched in 2015 to support cutting-edge biomedical and health research that harnesses data to generate new insights, prioritize whole-person care, and advance community-driven solutions to reduce health inequities.
Our mission is to drive the development of innovative technologies and personalized strategies and to coordinate cross-sector partnerships for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to improve the health and well-being of all Californians.