More investigators are exploring ways to improve the health of minority and underserved populations. Since 2005, the MHRC has provided over $4.1 million in seed money to 88 investigators through pilot research awards. This investment has resulted in a return of $118.5 million in extramural funding.
Apply for Pilot Project Funding
Projects on Obesity and Health Disparities-Related
Pilot Feasibility Studies
(RFA-OHDRC-21-001)
The Obesity Health Disparities Research Center (OHDRC) led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham in partnership with Jackson State University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Louisiana State University, invites applications for pilot feasibility studies to support new research initiatives in any area related to obesity and health disparities.
Available Funds: to $50,000
Award Period: one (1) year
Eligibility: NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators at the time of funding without current or past NIH research project support or Senior Investigators who are new to obesity and/or health disparities research. Eligible applicants must have a faculty appointment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Jackson State University (JSU), Louisiana State University (LSU), or University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC).
The pilot feasibility studies must address health disparities and obesity. The complex relationship between health disparities and obesity can be addressed at any domain of influence (biological, behavioral, physical/built environment, and health care systems and within any level of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, and societal) as outlined in the NIMHD Research Framework.
Full Call for Applications
Key Dates
LOIs due: March 5, 2021
Announcement of those selected to submit full applications: March 19, 2021
Application Due: April 25, 2021
Announcement of Recipients: June 6, 2021
Projected Start Date : August 1, 2021
Please submit electronically in a single PDF file to Kaitlyn Waugaman, kjwaugaman@uabmc.edu by Friday, March 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.
Call for Applications:
Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR)
(P30AG031054)
Invites Letters of Intent to Apply for One-Year Pilot Grants
Focusing on Minority Aging & Health Disparities in the African American Population
The Deep South RCMAR focuses on health issues for which disparities between older African Americans and whites have been established, giving special emphasis to issues related to rural elders; intervention research addressing exercise, diet, or preventive health strategies; and studies addressing socio-economic, discrimination, trust, or bioethical issues impacting physical or mental health. Proposals must demonstrate relevance to minority aging and health disparities in the African American population, and should focus upon specific social, cultural, or behavioral mechanisms to improve physical and mental health or cognitive function. Further description is included in the full RFA.
Number of Awards: Three pilot developmental projects may be funded
Award Budget: Up to $25,000
Award Period: One year: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022
Eligibility: Faculty members at Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University, University of Alabama, or UAB, at the rank of Instructor to Associate Professor are eligible. Minority faculty members are encouraged to apply.
Key Dates
Letter of Intent (LOI) Due: On or before Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Application Due Date: On or before Thursday, January 21, 2021
Response to Reviews Due: March 10, 2021
Project Start Date: July 1, 2021
Letters Of Intent and Applications Must Be Submitted Electronically at: www.uab.edu/MHRC.
No paper submissions are accepted.
Please click here to see the full RFA for more information on the LOI and application process.
Please click here to submit an LOI and application.
For more info, contact:
If you have questions concerning the submission of these LOIs or proposals, please contact
Ann Smith, MPH, at annsmith@uab.edu
Past Pilot Project Winners
Please select one of the years below to view winners, their organization, and project title.
2016
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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