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Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR)
The Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) invites Letters of Intent to apply for one-year pilot grants focusing on minority aging and health equity. While we are interested in all applications focused on health equity in older populations, we prioritize social, behavioral, psychological, and economic research on the processes of aging at both the individual and societal level demonstrating relevance to minority aging and health equity in the Black/African American population or other minoritized populations.
- Available funds: up to $40,000
- Award Project Period: One year: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
- Eligibility: Faculty members at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Tuskegee University (TU), University of Alabama (UA), or at UAB, at the rank of Instructor to Associate Professor are eligible. Faculty applicants of all racial or ethnic backgrounds are eligible.
Key Dates:
- Letter of Intent Deadline: Wednesday, September 4, 2024
- Application Deadline: Monday, November 18, 2024
- Response to Critique Due: Friday, February 21, 2025
- Project Start Date: July 1, 2025
CARES Center Opportunity
The CARES Center: Cancer Awareness, Research, Engagement, and Support Center led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in partnership with the Minority Health & Health Equity Research Center (MHERC) and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center invites applications for pilot and feasibility studies to address disparities across the cancer control continuum in areas characterized by persistent poverty.
Applicants should submit a Letter of Intent to Kaitlyn Waugaman, kjwaugaman@uabmc.edu, by Friday, September 6, at midnight.
Past Pilot Project Winners
Please select one of the years below to view winners, their organization, and project title.
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2022
Daniel Chu, MD, MSPH
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Building the Deep South Surgical Equity Research Network (DESERN) to address socioeconomic determinants of health in vulnerable surgical populations
Amber Clark, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Qualitative Analysis of the post-stroke care continuum among African American stroke survivors in Alabama
Mary Lindsey Jacobs, PhD, MSPH
University of Alabama
Culturally Sensitive Assessment of Decision-Making and Functional Capacity in Older African American Adults -
2021
Ammar Saadoon Alishlash, MD, FAAP, FRCPCH
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Obesity Exacerbates Pulmonary Complications in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Christy Foster, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Epigenetic Age in African American Adolescents with Obesity
Mudasir Andrabi, PhD
University of Alabama
Physical Activity Program for Cardiac Health among Older African American Populations Living in Rural Alabama: Needs Assessment and Initial Development
Matthew Cribbet, PhD
University of Alabama
Childhood Adversity, Sleep and Circadian Functioning in Mid-Life African Americans and Whites
Jenny M. Cundiff, PhD
University of Alabama
Social determinants of health: Understanding whether unique social exposures are viable mechanisms
Haiyan Qu,PhD, MSHA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Identifying Patient and Caregiver Perceived Needs, Barriers, and Facilitators to Inform Development of a Prehabilitation for Potential Liver Transplant Candidates with Frailty -
2020
Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Using an Epigenomic Approach to Explore the Obesity-Pain Link among African Americans
Fokhrul Hossain, PhD
Louisiana State University Health Services Center
Obesity and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Disparities in Louisiana
Carrie Howell, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Insulin Resistance and poor COVID-19 Outcomes
Soumya Niranjan, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Retrospective Cohort Study of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Lung Cancer Screening Among Older Minority Veterans
Raheem Paxton, PhD, MS
University of Alabama
Ecological Momentary Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Older African Americans
Rhiannon D. Reed, DrPH
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Healthcare Utilization, Caregiving, and the Role of Age, Ethnicity, and Rurality among Obese Living Kidney Donors
Desiree Rivers, PhD, MSPH
Morehouse School of Medicine
Examining the Role of a Plant-Based Diet on the Gut Microbiome, Intramuscular Fat, Adiposity and Risk for Breast Cancer inPost-Menopausal African American Women
Robert Sorge, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Investigating Racial Differences in Diet Benefits for Knee Osteoarthritis
Joseph Wolfe, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Who's Hurt Most by Economic Shocks? Obesity and Health After Major Financial Loss -
2019
Pankaj Arora,MD, PAHA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Effects of Natriuretic Peptide (NP) augmentation on cardiometabolic health in African Americans with obesity
S Pamela G. Bowen, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
TOSS Feasibility + Fitbit Community = Reduced Obesity in Older Black Women
Shameka L.Cody, PhD
University of Alabama Exploring Racial Disparities in Sleep Health among Older HIV-Positive Adults with HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND)
Laura E. Dreer, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Addressing the Obesity Health Disparity Among Adults with Vision Impairments
Alula Hadgu, DrPH
Morehouse School of Medicine
Is Statin Use Associated with Incident Diabetes or All-cause Mortality in older African Americans? A Jackson Heart Study
Omar T. Sims, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Forecasting Future Hepatitis C Disease Burden between African American and Non-African Americans -
2018
Tiffany Carson, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Modifying Diet and the Gut Microbiota to Reduce Obesity and Health Disparities
Zechen Chong,PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Genomic Landscape of Obese Cancer Patients in Minority Groups
Kimberly Martin, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Racial Differences in Attitudes towards Monitoring for Atrial Fibrillation
Ian M. McDonough, PhD
University of Alabama
Measuring the Impact of Stress on Brain Structure and Function in Middle-Aged African Americans
Mercy Mumba, PhD
University of Alabama
Improving Physical and Psychosocial Well-being of African American Older Adults Living in Rural Areas through a Community-Based Exercise Program
Ariel Salas, MD, MSPH
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Serial Assessments of Body Fat Accrual in Very Preterm Infants
Andrew D. Smith,MD, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Liver Surface Nodularity Score as a Non-invasive Biomarker for NAFLD
LarrellWilkinson, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Motivational Encouragement with Networks (MEN) for Healthy Eating, Activity, Rest Together (HEART) -
2017
Junfei Lu, PhD
University of Alabama
A Paradigm and An Item Pool of Spiritual Well-being in Older African Americans
Michael Lyerly, MD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Age and Racial Disparities in Interhospital Transfer for Acute Ischemic Stroke -
2016
Gabriela Oates, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Bikeshare for Low-Income Urban Communities: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study
Caroline Compretta, PhD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Kid Koders for Health: Promoting Physical Activity among Underserved Youth
Ariane Rung, PhD
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Mobile Mindfulness Training to Reduce Chronic Health Disparities in Louisiana Women
Bisakha Sen, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Social-Ecologocial Stressors, Obesity-Risk & Racial Disparities in Obesity: A Longitudinal Study
Olivio Clay, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Examining Associations between Social Determinants of Health, Obesity and Comorbid Conditions, and Longitudinal Outcomes among Older African American and Caucasian Medicare Beneficiaries
Arnita Norwood, PhD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
The Association Between Job-Related Factors and Ideal Cardiovascular Health Among African Americans with and without Diabetes
Adam Wende, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
100 Black Men of America, Inc. Novel Expression of Cardiac Gene Expression in African American Men in Heart Failure
Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Universal Screening for HIV, Hepatitis C and Colorectal Cancer among African American Men: A Collaboration between UAB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and 100 Black Men of America
Rhonda Jones-Webb, PhD
University of Minnesota
100 Black Men of America, Inc. Violence and Related Injuring among African American Male Youth: Pathways to Prevention Articulated by Community Members and Police Officers
Sunil Sudarshan, MD
University of Minnesota
100 Black Men of America, Inc.
DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine(5hmc): Guarding the Prostate Epigenome from Malignant Progression in African American Men
Jayanth Panyam, PhD
University of Minnesota
100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Fibrinolytics for Improving Lung Cancer Outcomes in African American Men
Susan Mayfield-Johnson, PhD
Daniel Le
University of Southern Mississippi & Boat People SOS
Measuring Vulnerability and Developing Resiliency with the Vietnamese Gulf Coast
Frederick Green, PhD
Deborah Martin
University of Southern Mississippi & Hattiesburg Public School District
Access to Extracurricular Athletic Opportunities for Students with Disabilities -
2015
Patrick Packer
Black People Run, Bike and Swim
Yu-Mei Schoenberger, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Walk to Smartphone Application
Henry Nuss, PhD
Louisiana State University Health Science Center
Growing Healthy Roots: A social marketing campaign to increase the amount of fruit and vegetable purchases in the Hollygrove neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana
Gareth Dutton, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Stop Obesity Now (SONNY): A Family-Based Intervention to Reduce Obesity in the Black Belt
Elizabeth Baker, PhD
Irena Stepanikova, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Investigating the Relationship between Perceived Discrimination and Obesity among African Americans in Mississippi
Jonathan Daw, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Role of Behavioral, Family, and Community Effects on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Comorbidity in Obesity, Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, and All-Cause Mortality
Irena Stepanikova, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Exploring Social and Lifestyle Factors in Minority Aging: Obesity, Perceived Discrimination, and Chronic Systemic Inflammation
William C. Cockerham, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
A Comparison of Black and White Racial Differences in Health Lifestyles and Cardiovascular Disease
Meifang Chen, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Association of Food Environment and Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Obesity in the US: A Geographic Information System (GIS) Analysis
Robert Collins, PhD
Dillard University
Segregation and the Disparities in the Built Environment
Anne Zinski, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Characterizing Healthcare Utilization in Black Males to Improve HCV Outcomes
Kylee Funk, PharmD
University of Minnesota
Improving Diabetes Medication Management through Face to Face and Social Media Support Among African American Men
Ruth A. Lindquist, PhD
University of Minnesota
Developing and Testing a New Model to Reduce Risks for Heart Disease and Stroke
Mohammad Saleem Bhat, PhD
University of Minnesota
Novel Biomarker that Discriminates Indolent from Aggressive Phenotype in AA Men
Voinea-Griffin Andreea, DDS, MBA, MSHA
Sonia White
Texas A&M University & Community Council of Greater Dallas
Compliance Barriers and Initial Outcomes of the Medicaid First Dental Home Policy in Dallas County
Amanda Staiano, PhD
Andrew Allen
Louisiana State University Pennington
Physical Activity and Screen-Time Regulations in Child Care Centers: Influence on Young Children's Health Behaviors
Roma Hanks, PhD
Barbara Estes
University of South Alabama & Via Health
Policies on Intergenerational Relationships in Livable Communities and Their Impact on Health Outcomes
Maureen Lichtveld, MD
Thao Yu
Tulane University & Mississippi Coalition for Vietnamese-American Fisher Folks and Families
Making Environmental Policy Work for Communities: A Culturally Competent CBPR Approach to Advancing the Health of Gulf Coast Vietnamese-Americans -
2014
Richard Scribner, MD, MPH
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Monitoring Social Determinants of Obesity Outcomes in a Community Clinic
Abigail Gamble, PhD
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Connecting Health with Education in a Rural Setting with Health Councils
Nicole Redmond, MD, PhD
UAB School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine
Understanding Hypertension among Black Men in a Faith-Based Setting
Larrell Wilkinson, PhD, MSPH
UAB School of Education, Human Studies
Healthy Eating, Activitity, and Resting Together (HEART) Matters
Christopher Warlick, MD, PhD
University of Minnesota
Evaluation of the CCP Score Risk-Stratification Tool in African-American Men
Jerome Kolbo, PhD
University of Southern Mississippi
Community-Based Participatory Research of Policies and Practices Affecting Adolescent Sexual Health in Mississippi
Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD
UAB School of Public Health
Opt-Out HIV Testing Guidelines and Barriers to Implementation in Alabama -
2013
Elizabeth Baker, PhD
UAB College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Child Obesity and Mother's Ratings of Health: Variation by Maternal Nativity
Adrienne Milner, PhD
UAB College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Walking Buses for Adults
Andrea Cherrington, MD
UAB School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine
Assessing Social Determinants of Health of Obesity for Latino Immigrants in an Emerging Community
Amanda Willig, PhD
UAB School of Medicine
Behavioral and Social Factors Impact Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Obesity in HIV-Infected Women
Douglas Moellering, PhD
UAB School of Health Professions
Adverse Effect of Life Stress on Obesity and Disease Risk Are Mediated by Diet Quality and Oxidative Stress
James Hempe, PhD
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Metabolic Determinants of Racial Disparity in Hemoglobin Glycation -
2012
April Carson, PhD, MSPH
UAB School of Public Health
Racial Differences in Glycemic Markers, Diabetes, and Albuminuria
Peter Jezewski, DMD, PhD
UAB School of Dentistry
Epidemiology of Tooth Loss in an Underserved African American Population
Jayme Locke, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Educational Campaign to Increase Organ Donation among African Americans
Jesus Salazar-Gonzalez, PhD
UAB School of Medicine
Retrotransposon Element Profiling in Colorectal Cancer Racial Disparities
Kari White, PhD
UAB School of Public Health
Unintended Pregnancy and Contraceptive Use among Recent Latina Immigrants -
2011
Olivio Clay, PhD
UAB College of Arts and Sciences, Psychology
Racial Differences in Diabetes Distress: Factors Related to Health Disparities
Gareth Dutton, PhD
UAB School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine
Obesity Prevention Program for African American Female High-School Students
Teri Magruder, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Effects of Exercise on Asthmatic Responses in Obese Pediatric Asthmatics: A Multi-Investigator Study
Shantel Hebert-Magee, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Prognostic and Therapeutic Significance of P53 Codon 72 Polymorphism in Triple Negative Breast Cancer in African American Women
Dorothy Pekmezi, PhD
UAB School of Public Health
Feasibility and Acceptability of Using Interactive Internet Technology to Promote Physical Activity in Latinas -
2010
Leona Council, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Molecular Basis for Chronic Hepatitis C–related Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in African Americans
Ambika Ashraf, MD
UAB School of Medicine, Pediatrics
Influence of Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on Glycemic Control in Children with Type 2 Diabetes
Comfort Enah, PhD, RN
UAB School of Nursing
Developing and Evaluating an Electronic HIV Game for HIV Prevention with African American Rural Adolescents
Sonya Heath, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Acute HIV Infection: A Missed Diagnostic Opportunity Driving the HIV Epidemic -
2009
Keshia Sims Elder, OD
UAB School of Optometry
Ocular Inflammation in African American and European American Patients with SLE
Derek DuBay, MD
UAB School of Medicine
Development of an African American Salon-Based Intervention to Increase Organ Donation
Laura Kelly Vaughan, PhD
UAB School of Medicine
Bad Genes or Genes Behaving Badly: Are Hispanic-American Children Predisposed to “Thriftiness” Resulting in Increased Fat Accumulation at the Expense of Bone Mass? -
2008
Nefertiti Durant, MD, MPH
UAB School of Medicine
Self-Efficacy and Social Support of Exercise in Young African Women: Tools for Success?
Elizabeth Brown, PhD, MPH
UAB School of Public Health
Functional Genomics and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a High-Risk Minority Population
Marcela Frazier, OD
UAB School of Optometry
Development and Pilot-Testing of an Intervention to Improve Access to Eye Care for Hispanic Children
Anthony Roberson, PhD, MPH
UAB School of Nursing
Assessing the Mental Health Needs of Impoverished African American Adolescents Residing in High-Poverty Neighborhoods in Alabama -
2007
Raegan Durant, MD, MPH
UAB School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine
A Pilot Study of Social Support and Hospital Use for Heart Failure
Olivia Thomas - Affuso, PhD
UAB School of Public Health, Epidemiology
Effect of Exercise on Energy Balance in Overweight African American Youth
Andrea Cherrington, MD, MPH
UAB School of Medicine, Internal Medicine
Culturally Adapting a Proven Weight-Loss Intervention to Reduce Diabetes Risk in Latina Immigrants -
2006
Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD, MPH
UAB School of Public Health
Antiretroviral Therapy Exposure in HIV-Positive Pregnant Women and Their Infants in the South
Myriam Peralta-Carcelen, MD, MPH
UAB School of Medicine
Mejorando La Salud de Los Niños Prematuros (Improving the Health of Premature Children)
Tina Simpson, MD, MPH
UAB School of Medicine
Improving Partner Communication Regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections -
2005
Jamy Ard, MD
UAB School of Health Professions
Enhancing Weight-Loss Outcomes in African Americans Using a Modified EatRight Approach
Lucy Annang, PhD
UAB School of Public Health
Peer Education to Promote STI Prevention among Young Adult African American Women
Monica Baskin, PhD UAB School of Medicine Childhood Obesity Intervention at the Chris McNair Health Department -
HDRTP Pilot Awards
Kesha Buster, MD UAB School of Medicine
Shadi Martin, PhD University of Alabama
JoAnn Oliver, PhD University of Alabama
Angela Jukkala, PhD UAB School of Nursing
Jamie Cannon, MD UAB Department of Medicine
Giyeon Kim, PhD University of Alabama
Allison Litton, DrPH UAB School of Medicine
Shannon Morrison, PhD UAB School of Nursing