29 Nov Lauren McLester-Davis becomes UW’s first director of Indigenous science advocacy

By Renata Solan, UW News

Lauren W. Yowelunh McLester-Davis, a University of Wisconsin–Madison neuroscientist and researcher, has joined the Native American Center for Health Professions (NACHP) in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health as its first director of Indigenous science advocacy.

In this new position, McLester-Davis will weave together science addressing Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, metabolism, and cognitive aging among Indigenous populations in Wisconsin, and other groups often underrepresented in research.

A key aspect of McLester-Davis’s work at NACHP will include leading efforts to ensure tribal data sovereignty is at the forefront of the school’s research partnerships, which will be focused on considering each community’s specific needs, and establishing and building partnerships with interested tribal communities, including Tribal Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).

Tribal IRBs are an avenue for tribal nations to exercise sovereignty over research that involves their members, and they provide oversight of research conducted by outside parties, including university scientists. These efforts are aimed at ensuring previous research harms to Indigenous populations are not repeated, and that Indigenous communities control their data and benefit from research.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. McLester-Davis to her new role,” says Danielle Yancey, director of NACHP. “As an Indigenous scientist, she brings valuable expertise and experience that are key for ensuring research partnerships and practices are done in ways that honor tribal sovereignty and the community’s priorities, values and protocols.” Read more…