NASHVILLE – Three grants totaling $27 million have been awarded to Meharry Medical College by the National Institutes of Health this week, expanding the college’s position as a national leader in medical research that fosters the elimination of health status disparities.

The three grants include:

• $15 million to establish endowed chairs and professorships, enabling the recruitment of renowned scientists to lead three different health disparity research centers at Meharry.
  
• $4.3 million to strengthen the research infrastructure at Meharry through the addition of new research faculty members, administrative support and structured processes to integrate research, prevention, health education, health maintenance and treatment.
  
• $7.7 million to establish a center and recruit scientists to study health disparities in HIV/AIDS.

Compelling documented evidence shows America’s racial and ethnic minority populations have shorter life expectancies as well as higher rates of HIV/AIDS, poor oral health, cancer, birth defects, infant mortality, asthma, and other diseases and conditions.

“As a nation we have made strides in the eradication of some devastating diseases, but a persistent need still exists to eliminate major health status disparities that are found between different segments of the U.S. population,” Dr. John E. Maupin, Jr., Meharry president, said.

“We are proud to say Meharry is leading this research right here in Nashville. The three grants we have received will enable the college to help lead the national effort to define the scope of the problem and begin the process of identifying and evaluating approaches that will work in mitigating disparities in health status.”

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