FAMU Center for Health Disparities Research

Florida Agricultural And Mechanical Univ, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

FAMU Center for Health Disparities Research SUMMARY: The overarching goal of the Florida A&M University (FAMU) RCMI Center application (2024-2029) is to continue the progress of an interdisciplinary Center addressing minority health and health disparities using the previous achievements of the Center in reaching important milestones. Our Center for Health Disparities Research will continue enhancing basic biomedical and behavioral research at FAMU while improving the investigator's research skills. To achieve the goals of the Center, we are proposing the following Specific Aims: 1) Enhance FAMU research capacity and rigor for basic biomedical/behavioral research pursuits by supporting innovative research projects, expanding research infrastructure, and strengthening community engagement partnership and activities that will create a sustainable research environment. Meanwhile, we will provide all investigators and core leaders with the training and capacity to increase artificial intelligence (AI) use. This will lead to more accurate and insightful scientific discoveries and better approaches to serving the communities.2) Increase the success rate of FAMU investigators in obtaining extramural research funding by enabling investigators to develop innovative research competencies through offering the Career Enhancement Program (CEP), innovative technology, and research collaborations. 3) Support new faculty and early career investigators in health disparities research by establishing an Investigator Development Core that will provide pilot project funding and a robust mentoring program with a platform through the Career Enhancement Program. 4) Establish and support partnerships with the community to create a sustainable research environment that addresses health disparities research by establishing the RCMI Community Engagement Core (CEC) to promote early education awareness, detection, and screening. Recruiting two senior investigators will significantly impact the Center's research efforts. One of these recruited specializes in artificial intelligence (AI), and one specializes in cancer biology. The Center will also support three Innovative research projects in basic biomedical and behavioral addressing mechanisms and screening interventions to reduce health disparities among minorities. These research projects will address novel therapy in breast cancer and pain therapy and investigate new approaches to promoting cervical cancer screening among minorities. Achieving the goals of the Center will be significantly facilitated by the commitment and partnership of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Jacksonville, Florida, with its Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants, which will provide an environment conducive to career enhancement. The Center has an external independent evaluator to implement a formative and summative evaluation plan to reach data-driven decisions. The funding of this RCMI Center will enable FAMU to continue to achieve its mission of addressing health disparities by enhancing FAMU research capacity, increasing the number of minority investigators, promoting minority health, and aiding in reducing minority health disparities.