A new $20 million research initiative will engage the people most impacted by health disparities in developing solutions that may help improve their overall health and well-being. The American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service as the world's leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health, are funding four research grants to foster collaboration between research scientists and community leaders to develop community-driven research projects aimed at improving health and saving lives. The American Heart Association's Health Equity Research Network (HERN) on Community-Driven Research Approaches will bring together teams of scientists from Furman University, Yale University and the University of California-San Diego to work collaboratively on research projects with community-based organizations in California, New York and South Carolina.
A team from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will serve as the community engagement resource center for the network, leveraging expertise for training across network sites and nationally, providing consultation and guidance, compiling data reports and coordinating the administration of the initiative. "This new innovative research network aligns with the American Heart Association's multi-pronged approach to advance cardiovascular health.