Dear RADx-UP partners,

Two RADx-UP committees have new members that we would like to recognize.

The Steering Committee represents the interests of the entire RADx-UP program, utilizing their experience and unique insight to provide strategic input on overarching program goals and vision. Visit the Steering Committee webpage to find an updated list of members.

We would also like to recognize and thank the Steering Committee members who have rotated off the committee. We very much appreciate their contributions and wisdom in helping us navigate the initial phases of RADx-UP. Thank you to Charlie Gregor, Malcolm A. Punter, Spero M. Manson, Maria F. Pinzón, and Jennifer Wirth.

The Publications and Dissemination Committee (PDC) also has new members on the roster. The PDC works to effectively and efficiently employ RADx-UP data to advance understanding and knowledge about the program and projects. See the PDC webpage for the updated list of committee members.

We look forward to seeing the impact of these committees on the consortium.

2023 RADx-UP Scientific Meeting date and time



The 2023 Scientific Meeting is only a few months away. The updated time and date for this meeting is 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. EST on May 3, 2023. Please mark your calendar for this opportunity to hear results from fellow RADx-UP projects, and keep an eye out for registration information to come.

NIMHD workshop on inclusive participation in clinical research

Join the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) for a virtual workshop on March 30–31, 2023 about improving participation in clinical research. During the event, speakers and panelists will discuss evidence-based best practices to increase inclusive participation in clinical research and how to implement best-practices, including challenges to overcome and lessons learned. On the second day, attendees will participate in a special session with representatives from a variety of fields that support and conduct clinical research, such as academia, pharmaceuticals, community-based organizations, and federal agencies.

Learn more and register for the workshop.

The most recently submitted Analysis Proposal was “Who Will Test? Contextual and Psychosocial Factors Predicting COVID-19 Testing Intention Among Underserved Populations in a National Sample” submitted by Gloria Sclar.



Learn about submitted analysis concepts and their writing teams from the Partnering for Impact homepage. Also submit your own concept there.

Project-wide Meeting presentation recap: RADx-UP project spotlights essential workers too often overlooked in healthcare



The November Project-wide Meeting featured a presentation by RADx-UP researchers Shawna Hudson, Emily Barrett, and Diane Hill of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Manuel Costañeda from community partner New Brunswick Tomorrow. The New Jersey Healthcare Essential Worker Outreach and Education Study – Testing Overlooked Occupations (NJ HEROES TOO) project stemmed from conversations about how many essential occupations were being overlooked in COVID-19 healthcare worker advocacy and resources.

Read more about the project and presentation.

NIH leaders highlight RADx-UP community work in Science Magazine

Former NIH director Francis Collins, former chief medical advisor to the president Anthony Fauci, NIMHD director Eliseo Pérez-Stable, and other NIH leaders described how NIH fostered a national research response to COVID-19 in a new Science Magazine piece.

Read a summary of the piece, and find the full story.

HHS resources for Black History Month

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) COVID-19 vaccination and education campaign, We Can Do This, created and shared resources for Black History Month. Items in this toolkit include informational content, social media materials, video and campaign ads, and posters and flyers.

Check out the resources and use them for your work as needed.

FDA update on MakeMyTestCount.org



The FDA updated its step-by-step guide on at-home COVID-19 testing to include anonymous reporting of over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 test results to MakeMyTestCount.org. The data from MakeMyTestCount.org can help public health departments track how fast the virus is spreading. Read the notification from FDA and visit MakeMyTestCount.org to learn more.

Apply to present at the APHA Annual Meeting

The 2023 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting and Expo will take place Nov. 12 – 15, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. APHA is now accepting abstracts for oral presentations, poster sessions, and APHA Learning Institutes around the theme "Creating the Healthiest Nation: Overcoming Social and Ethical Challenges." We encourage RADx-UP projects to apply to present their work by March 31, 2023.

Learn more about the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.

See below for some of the newly-added items to the RADx-UP Resource Library.

Pediatricians swallow Legos for science

Here’s a different type of research study. Six pediatricians intentionally swallowed Lego pieces to see how long it takes to pass the toy. This is in an effort to reassure worried parents that their child will likely be alright if they were to swallow the tempting plastic. The results were published in the Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health and the study highlighted on NPR. Check it out for the details!