The overall goal for the Pilot core of the Penn-Cheyney EXPORT Center (PCEC) is to stimulate innovative, inter-disciplinary, intra- and inter-institutional research that will increase the understanding of health disparities and possible ways to address them by providing for phased funding of feasibility and pilot studies that can lead to full-scale investigations.
Specific aims are to: 1) support exploration of research approaches to identifying and modifying contextual influences on health lifestyle behaviors related to disparities; 2) support methodological research that will improve the ability to conduct valid and rigorous studies of health disparities in a variety of settings, particularly those focusing on variables not currently addressed in the minority health literature; 3) encourage innovative research related to health disparities by both new and established investigators with no previous involvement in research with this focus; and 4) provide support of initial research efforts of investigators from underrepresented minority groups. The pilot core will provide the PCEC with a flexible means of developing and exploring new research activities that are unique but complementary to the other campus health disparities initiatives. Eligible investigators will be faculty at the instructor level of above who have an appointment at the University of Pennsylvania or Cheyney University and who are not currently the principal investigator of a funded NIH grant on the topic addressed in the pilot study application. To be considered for funding, the pilot or feasibility studies proposed will involve: a) development or refinement of ways to identify or modify contextual influences on health lifestyle behaviors related to disparities; b) methodological research to improve the ability to conduct valid and rigorous studies of health disparities, particularly studies focusing on novel variables; and c) the related to determinants of obesity, consequences of obesity, or prevention or treatment of obesity or obesity related diseases. Funding decisions will be based on rigorous criteria with priority given to projects with principal investigators from Cheyney or who are Penn junior faculty from underrepresented minority populations, and to projects involving collaboration between Penn and Cheyney faculty.
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