Metlakatla DNA Project Update and New Research:
Are you interested in participating in the latest DNA Study? If you meet the criteria below, would you like to help the researchers find out how diet influences the natural bacteria in your mouth?
Our Research Partners from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are recruiting interested Metlakatla Members to participate in a new DNA study. They will examine your diet and the composition of the bacteria in your mouth (oral microbiome) which will then be compared to that of our ancient ancestors. The Researchers hope to learn how diet and the oral microbiome have changed over time, possibly as a result of colonization. All individual data will be anonymized, compiled together and generalized. Overall study results comparing diet with oral microbiome composition will be presented to the community, not individual profiles.
Unlike in the previous project, Researchers will require Metlakatla Participants to do the following:
*Keep a 3-day food journal
*Collect dental plaque samples when you floss (save your floss for 3 the days)
*Collect hair samples from your brush/comb
*Complete a survey on daily diet and health history
*Attend both meetings in either Metlakatla or PR (Aug 9th and the follow-up Aug 23rd)
Participant Criteria:
* Must be 18 years or older to participate
* Be a Metlakatla Member
* Cannot be related to other participants through parents or immediate grandparents (numbers of participants per family will be limited).
Participants who complete the tasks will be compensated for their time by the Researchers with a $30 gift card.
Please attend our information meeting to find out more and see if you qualify and can commit to this Study’s tasks:
August 9: 9:30 am – 11:00 am
Metlakatla Multipurpose Room, MDC/Administration Building, Metlakatla
And attend our follow-up meeting to turn in your samples and food journals:
August 23: 9:30am – 11:00am
Metlakatla Multipurpose Room, MDC/Administration Building, Metlakatla
*Please Note that there will be meetings in Prince Rupert August 9th and 23rd as well but the time and location has yet to be determined.
Email contacts:
Alyssa Bader (lead researcher): Acbader2@illinois.edu
Ripan Malhi (UIUC faculty): Malhi@illinois.edu
Metlakatla Treaty Office: metlch@metlakatla.ca