| The OHDRC Pilot Feasibility Studies supports early stage investigators interested in obesity-related health disparities research by providing mentoring and funding for innovative one-year pilot proposals. This program elevates the quality of pilot research by sponsoring a competition for funds that is peer-reviewed and mirrors those conducted by the NIH. Up to three (3) pilot projects will be funded each year and up to $50,000 will be awarded per project. NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators at UAB, JSU, UMMC, and LSU who have promising concepts for obesity health disparities research are eligible to apply. |
Funded Projects:
2018:
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Principal Investigator: Ariel Salas, MD, MSPH, Assistant Professor UAB Department of Pediatrics "Serial Assessments of Body Fat Accrual in Very Preterm Infants" |
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Principal Investigator: Andrew D. Smith, MD, PhD, Associate Professor UAB Department of Radiology "Liver Surface Nodularity Score as a Non-invasive Biomarker for NAFLD" |
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Principal Investigator: Zechen Chong, PhD, Assistant Professor UAB Informatics Institute "The Genomic Landscape of Obese Cancer Patients in Minority Groups" |
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Principal Investigator: Tiffany Carson, PhD, Assistant Professor UAB Preventive Medicine "Modifying Diet and the Gut Microbiota to Reduce Obesity and Health Disparities" |
2019:
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Principal Investigator: Pankaj Arora, MD, PAHA, Assistant Professor UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease "The Effects of Natriuretic Peptide (NP) augmentation on cardiometabolic health in African Americans with obesity" |
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Principal Investigator: Laura E. Dreer, PhD, Associate Professor UAB Department of Ophthalmology and VIsual Sciences "Addressing the Obesity Health DIsparity Among Adults with Vision Impairments" |
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Principal Investigator: Pamela G. Bowen, PhD, Assistant Professor UAB School of Nursing "TOSS Feasibility + Fitbit Community = Reduced Obesity in Older Black Women" |
2020:
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Principal Investigator: Edwin Aroke, PhD, CRNA, Assistant Professor UAB School of Nursing "Using an Epigenomic Approach to Explore the Obesity-Pain Link among African Americans" |
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Principal Investigator: Fokhrul Hossain, PhD, Instructor-Research LSUHSC, School of Medicine "Obesity and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Disparities in Louisiana" |
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Principal Investigator: Carrie Howell, PhD, Instructor UAB, Division of Preventive Medicine “Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Insulin Resistance and poor COVID-19 Outcomes” |
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Principal Investigator: Joseph Wolfe, PhD, Associate Professor UAB, Sociology "Who's Hurt Most by Economic Shocks? Obesity and Health After Major Financial Loss" |
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