University of Hawaii Health Disparities Research Endowment

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary objective of the University of Hawaii Health Disparities Research Endowment is to build upon foundations laid through previous Endowment support granted by the NCMHD by refining our focus and strengthening our capacity to conduct research designed to reduce the burden of illness and disease upon Hawaii's minority and medically-underserved populations. If funded, we will accomplish this objective by forming a health disparities Endowment committee (HDEC), supporting junior and minority faculty, and increasing the Endowment corpus. The HDEC will prioritize research emphasis in five-year cycles, mentor junior faculty, and oversee the development of a comprehensive health disparities research program. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), highly prevalent in racial and ethnic minority populations and the leading cause of death in Hawaii, is no doubt a vital area of research emphasis linked to reducing health disparities in our state. For this reason, JABSOM leaders selected CVD as the thematic focus for the initial five-year cycle. Areas of emphasis during subsequent five-year cycles, which may include obesity, diabetes, early human development, and neuroscience, will be selected according to emerging research excellence and community need. The proposed Endowment will solidify JABSOM's efforts to create a formal health disparities research program that is deeply rooted in a community-based participatory research paradigm and affords promising junior and minority investigators the opportunity to develop studies that will ultimately improve health outcomes in Hawaii's people. Through a sound five-year strategy, the HDEC and University of Hawaii will increase the Endowment corpus and thereby gradually increase support for researchers dedicated to reducing and eliminating health disparities in our communities. Ideally, the Endowment will serve as a perpetual basis of support for innovative research that will translate to direct benefit for diverse populations in Hawaii and across the country.