| Services | | Current Research | | Pilot Studies |
In the United States, about 76% of people report living with at least one chronic disease and more than half report living with multiple chronic conditions, according a CDC published study. Reducing these numbers requires working with people and organizations in our communities to develop, conduct, and disseminate research that can guide efforts to prevent disease, improve population health, and promote healthy living for everyone. The Healthy Living Center serves an enabling platform for this type of work.
The Research Program provides specialized infrastructure and support for translational, behavioral, and clinical research to prevent disease and promote healthy living through strong community-based and community-engaged research.
Services
Our research program promotes research into clinical and non-clinical risk factors for chronic disease and interventions to promote health for all people and all communities. Our faculty and staff work with investigators to increase competitiveness for extramural funding and advance the science of healthy living.
- Identify external funding opportunities
- Provide pilot funding
- Consult on concept development and study design
- Consult and collaborate on proposal preparation and budget development
- Review proposals
- Strategize and plan for post-award implementation
- Link investigators to services and cores within the Center and partner centers
- Identify potential research collaborators and co-investigators
Current Research
Alabama CEAL
Alabama CEAL Prescriptions for Community Health is a community-engaged intervention that features customized Food is Medicine and Exercise is Medicine (FIM/EIM) community prescriptions developed in partnership with community members. Community Working Groups participated in tailoring FIM/EIM concepts into community prescriptions, while Trained Community Health Coaches from the community support deployment and promotion efforts of the intervention to ensure community representation in the research process and promote community-level prescription adherence. CEAL Community-driven FIM/EIM intervention can serve as a catalyst for a culture of community health, improve health in low-income communities, and foster long term impacts on a wide range of chronic disease outcomes.
NIH OTA
CARES Center
The Cancer Awareness, Research, Engagement, and Support (CARES) Center aims to reduce the burden of cancer in areas where large parts of the population have been continually affected by poverty. The center is one of only five Centers funded by the National Cancer Institute under the Persistent Poverty Initiative.
NCI U54
Pilot Studies
Innovations in Community-Engaged and Population Health Research to Address Chronic Disease
The Comprehensive Healthy Living Research Center invites applications for pilot and feasibility studies exploring innovations in community-engaged and population health research to address chronic disease.
The goal of this pilot program is to support novel, highly innovative studies with the potential to set new directions for the field and expand the scope of community-engaged and population health research.
Proposals from across the translational science spectrum are welcome. Preference will be given to studies that can inform future research and interventions and contribute to population-level improvements in chronic disease rates and/or outcomes through community-engaged research.
Funding: 2-3 Projects of up to $75,000 each (total costs)
Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2026
Eligibility: Applicants must hold a UAB faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor level or higher. Early-stage investigators (ESIs) are encouraged to apply; ESIs must include a senior faculty mentor with a strong record of NIH funding in the proposed research area.
| Download RFA Information | Download Application Guidelines |
Submission and Deadline
This request for applications has a two-stage application process.
- Letter of Intent: Due by Monday, May 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM CT
- Invitation to Submit: Monday, June 1, 2026
- Full Application: Due by Monday, June 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM CT
- Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2026
No exceptions to these deadlines will be given. All applications must follow the application guidelines. LOIs and applications must be submitted through the UAB InfoReady system. Email applications will not be accepted. Applications that do not follow the submission guidelines will not be reviewed.
Ready to Submit?
If you’re ready to proceed, we invite you to submit your Letter of Intent. This is the first step toward consideration for the pilot study. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of experienced researchers, who will make funding recommendations. Specific review criteria are included in the application guidelines. Healthy Living Center leadership will make final award decisions. Based on the reviews, a pre-award consultation with subject matter or methodology experts may be required.
Submit on InfoReadyOpens an external link.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact:
Will Anderson, PhD, MPH, MPA
Deputy Director
UAB Comprehensive Healthy Living Research Center
williamanderson@uabmc.edu
(205) 996-5655