Program Information
Disparities in health and health care in the US are widespread, severe and unacceptable. Men and women from minority groups continue to experience poor health outcomes compared to non-minority counterparts. Both biological and socioeconomic reasons have been attributed to such disparities. Cutting edge advances in biomedical research and behavioral methods over the last several decades have created an important opportunity to reduce health disparities by diving deep into the reasons and developing better tools to address disparities in the nation and in the world. Translational research efforts are often hampered by the lack of inclusion of diverse populations and lack of access to disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.
The North Carolina Central University (NCCU) proposes to establish a RCMI (Research Centers in Minority Institutions) - Center for Health Disparities (RCHDR) to conduct cutting edge research for addressing health disparities. The Center is a collaborative effort within multiple NCCU units and will be housed at the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI). Focusing on basic and behavioral biomedical research, the Center will leverage resources and partnerships at the neighboring institutions in the Research Triangle area and the nationwide RCMI Translational Research Network (RTRN) to advance the following specific aims:
SA1: Enhance the research capacity of NCCU within the areas of basic biomedical and behavioral research by (1.1) conducting cutting edge research in health disparities through 3 full research projects and (1.2) developing research infrastructure core (RIC) and community engagement core (CEC). The 2 cores will focus on building/enhancing a strong biomedical and behavioral infrastructure accessible to NCCU investigators to perform research on minority health and health disparities.
SA2: Prepare and enable all levels of investigators (including postdoctoral fellows, research track, tenure-track and tenured faculty) to become successful extramurally funded health disparities researchers by developing an Investigator Development Core (IDC). The IDC will institute pilot projects and mentoring activities that will enable investigators to generate preliminary data and compete successfully for extramural funding.
SA3: Provide ancillary support for new (including senior postdoctoral fellows) and early investigators as well as senior investigators for scientific career enhancement and develop as a successful health disparities researcher. This will be accomplished by offering a range of ancillary career development activities to faculty.
SA4: Establish sustainable relationships with neighboring research and community-based organizations and RTRN network to advance cutting edge health disparities research at NCCU.
Racial and ethnic health disparities in the US are prevalent, severe and unacceptable. HBCUs produce the most Black researchers and medical practitioners representing a community that is the most closely affected by the health and healthcare disparities. HBCUs are also proportionately left out of the federal funding cycles. The overarching mission of the RCMI Center for Health Disparities (RCHDR) is to enhance the research infrastructure to conduct cutting edge health disparities and develop successful researchers at this HBCU (NCCU).