Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) (University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center)
Director: Mona N. Fouad, MD, MPH
Established: 2002

Purpose and Vision

The UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) is directed by Mona Fouad, MD, MPH and Ed Partridge, MD. It provides UAB and community researchers with an infrastructure to develop and conduct innovative research for improving the health status of minority groups, to increase community outreach and education, and to expand the participation of minorities in biomedical and behavioral research.

The Center identifies and supports research opportunities to reduce health disparities in underserved populations through partnerships with UAB schools and other centers, historically black colleges and universities, community groups, and other state agencies and grassroots organizations in minority communities. Through this central coordination, the MHRC then leverages and expands temporary resources into an ongoing infrastructure that assists, trains, and supports the faculty university-wide to compete effectively for external funding in minority health research.

The MHRC also fosters collaboration with academic programs in order to stimulate new interdisciplinary research proposals and develop community outreach and educational programs to address the disparities in health outcomes experienced by African Americans compared to Whites. The infrastructure thus developed will support the expansion of UAB's wide-ranging programs of research, community outreach, and public health education for cancer, women's health, cardiovascular disease, AIDS, diabetes, and other health areas.

Organizational Structure and Staffing

The Center includes three scientific programs and three supporting cores led by a team of multidisciplinary scientists who represent multiple UAB schools. The Research Program facilitates and assists investigators of varied disciplines to compete effectively for minority-related research funding and identifies opportunities for new investigators in health disparity research. This program includes investigators of varied disciplines who have already demonstrated special interest and success in minority health research. The Training and Career Development Program provides training and career development opportunities for minority students and investigators. The Community Outreach/Service Program works with organizations, institutions, and community leaders to establish the trust, cooperation, and mutual partnerships that are required in order to succeed in conducting research with minority and underserved populations.

The Statistical and Molecular Genetics Core offers services such as extraction of genomic DNA for investigators performing research in the genetic basis of human disease, for understanding ethnic differences in diseases, or for identifying genetic influences of biomedically important traits. The Recruitment and Retention Core facilitates and assists investigators in recruiting subjects to participate in clinical research and provides linkages between the community and MHRC research. The Bioethics Core provides resource information and training in bioethics, especially as related to genetic studies of minority populations.

The organizational structure of the MHRC can be found below.

For additional information:

Director: Mona Fouad, MD, MPH
Email: mfouad@dopm.uab.edu
MHRC Web Site: http://www.uabmhrc.com/

Approved by: Mona Fouad, MD, MPH, Director
Date: April 3, 2008

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