HEALTH Research Institute

The HEALTH Center for Addictions Research and Cancer Prevention is pursuing a bold research agenda aimed at addressing the public health crises that disparately affect minoritized communities to achieve health equity. With support from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), this national center (Research Centers in Minority Institutions, RCMI) will serve as an exemplar for how community-engaged research can accelerate the discovery of innovative basic biomedical mechanisms and/or cost-effective prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and intervention strategies that can be disseminated and implemented directly into underserved communities to achieve health equity.

This short-term (1-year) funding opportunity will support 3-5 innovative pilot grants ($30,000 to $50,000) that seek to break new ground in addressing disparities in addictions and cancer prevention while leveraging the data to successfully transition into a developmentally appropriate NIH funding mechanism (e.g., K- and R-series).

Moreover, mentorship and professional development activities will be structured to develop the next generation of health-equity scientists capable of advancing data-driven and culturally-responsive breakthroughs in addictions and cancer prevention.

Important dates associated with the upcoming Request for Applications (RFA)

Letter of Intent (LOI) Due: September 1, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.

Complete Application Due: October 3, 2022 @ 5:00 p.m.

Scientific Merit Review: November 10, 2022

Funding Decisions and NIMHD Approval: Between December 2022 - January 2022 

Earliest Anticipated Award Start Date: February 1, 2023

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More information

Download: RFA Guidelines

Download: Cover Page 

Please watch our 15-minute webinar to receive some background information regarding the HEALTH-RCMI’s Pilot Grant Program.

In support of the institute's goal to become a model for advancing transdisciplinary health science through strong partnerships with communities, organizations and other key stakeholders, HRI is requesting applications to expand the HEALTH Research Institute in the area of basic biomedical science. Basic biomedical science provides a transformative platform to discover novel pathological and pathophysiological mechanisms that could be rapidly translated into population-specific targets of prevention and treatment.

The purpose of the pilot research program is to strategically seed feasibility and proof of concept studies that will lead to the development of novel findings that address one or more health challenges faced by our local, state or national communities. The HRI pilot grant awardees are:

Investigating Efficacy of Epigenetic Therapy in Ovarian Cancer

Fatima Merchant, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Wanda Wosik, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
• Lewis Francis, Ph.D. (Swansea University College of Medicine), Collaborator

Role of 27-hydroxycholestrol, the Endogenous SERM that Links Cholesterol Metabolism and Estrogen Receptor Signaling, in Adipose Tissue Function

Michihisa Umetani, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Yang Zhang, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
• Preethi Gunaratne, Ph.D., Collaborator

Functional Cortical Deficits and Cortical Hemodynamic Changes in Minority Older Adults with Type II Diabetes

Stacey Gorniak, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Luca Pollonini, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
• Steven Woods, Psy.D., Co-Investigator
• Emily LaVoy, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
   

Physical Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer Metabolism

John Miller, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Martha Y. Suarez Villagran, Ph.D., Postdoc
• Dale Hamilton, M.D. (Houston Methodist Research Institute), Collaborator / Co-Investigator
• Additional collaborators from the UH Colleges of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Engineering are expected to participate as the project expands.

Computerized Suicide Prevention for Latinos in Primary Care
Michael J. Zvolensky, Ph.D, Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Andres Viana, Ph.D, Co-Investigator
• Rheeda Walker, Ph.D, Co-Investigator
• Jodi Berger Cardoso, Ph.D, Co-Investigator
• Monica Garza, Ph.D, Co-Investigator
   

The Intersectionality of Nutrition, Alcohol Abuse, and Infectious Disease Susceptibility
Elebeoba E. May, Ph.D, Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Ezemenari Obasi, Ph.D, Co-Investigator

Mexican Immigrants' Biological and Behavioral Cancer Risk Based on Stress
Dr. Daphne Hernandez and Dr. Hua Zhao

Watchful Living: A lifestyle intervention for black and Hispanic prostate cancer patients and their partners
Dr. Dalnim Cho and Dr. Richard Simpson

Novel Formulation of Synthetic Retinoid for Chemoprevention
Dr. Guang Peng and Dr. Xinli Liu

Examining Health Disparities and Promoting Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention in Syrian Refugee Women in the United States

Samina Salim, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Johanna Bick, Ph.D., Co-Investigator
• Mohan Chandra, Ph.D., Collaborator
• Meghna Trivedi, Ph.D., Collaborator
• Sausaun Abouharb, M.D., Collaborator

Exploring the provider and organization level barriers to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment for Black Americans

Lauren R. Gilbert, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project Team Includes:

• Steven Starks, M.D., Co-Investigator