About NCCU RCHDR
NCCU’s RCHDR advances health disparities research, builds infrastructure, develops investigators, and fosters collaborations to improve minority health outcomes through biomedical and behavioral science.
RCMI Research Center for Health Disparities Research (RCHDR)
RCHDR Cores
The NCCU RCHDR Cores advance the University’s mission to reduce health disparities through integrated administrative leadership, research capacity building, investigator development, and community engagement. Together, these cores strengthen biomedical and behavioral research, support emerging investigators, and translate findings into community and clinical settings to promote health equity across North Carolina.
Administrative Core
The Administrative Core provides the leadership, coordination, and infrastructure necessary to ensure the effective management, accountability, and sustainability of NCCU’s RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research (RCHDR).
Research Capacity Core (RCC)
The Research Capacity Core (RCC) at NCCU's RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research enhances research excellence by supporting faculty and staff in their research journey. From protocol design to data analytics to compliance and dissemination — ensuring purpose takes flight in every project.
Investigator Development Core (IDC)
The Investigator Development Core (IDC) supports the growth, success, and retention of early-stage and emerging investigators engaged in health disparities research. The IDC provides structured mentoring, training, and funding opportunities to strengthen research capacity and competitiveness.
Community Engagement Core (CEC)
The Community Engagement Core (CEC) serves as the bridge between NCCU researchers and the communities most affected by health disparities. The CEC ensures that community voices inform every stage of research.
15
Projects
43
Researchers
$32M
Awarded in Grants
RCMI Committees
Learn about the RCMI's External Advisory Committee, Internal Advisory Committee and Executive Committee.
RCMI Faculty and Staff
Our team is made up of members from several departments and colleges within NCCU.
Research Projects
Cardiometabolic Outcomes and Psychosocial Events (COPE)
Anger and hostility are coping methods that African American (AA) males often employ in dealing with racist and unjust experiences, while social support is often employed by women. Increased stress may result in physiological responses that in turn can lead to increased renal disease.
Cancer Disparities and Metabolic Status
More African American (AA) women die from breast cancer (BrCa) compared to women from other ethnic groups. We hypothesize that cellular bioenergetics and inflammatory mediators may alter transcriptome regulation and cancer cell signaling, leading to disparities and poor prognosis.
Diet-Induced Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome, driven mainly by obesity, has become a global epidemic, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We hypothesize that pregnane X receptor deficiency results in impaired adiponectin signaling, leading to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance with more prominent race and sex differences.
Breast Cancer Disparities
Black women suffer disproportionately from breast cancer mortality, with social, environmental and biological causes. We propose to identify mechanisms by which metastatic breast carcinomas tend to be more common in Black women, focusing on cell-cell interactions between the cells that surround the tumor and the tumor itself. This research will provide a basis for developing new methods for targeting these aggressive breast cancers.
BeFAB-HBCU mHealth intervention to address excess weight and pre-diabetes
Black young adults are more likely to be burdened by excess weight and face multiple disparities and negative health outcomes. The BeFAB-HBCU mHealth intervention is culturally specific and tailored to impact behavior, achieving healthy weight, and physical activity.
Research Pilot Projects
This pilot study sought to test the associations among work demands, daily hassles, depressive symptoms, and young African American children’s behavior outcomes.
The primary purpose of this study was to understand the communication outcomes of African Americans who survived a right-hemisphere stroke.
Metabolic dysfunctions such as hypercholesterolemia are leading causes of heart attacks in Americans, a rising health disparity.
Exposure to poor air quality is a public health concern. Minority communities may be at a higher risk, and little is known about the different chemistry inducing pathological conditions.
Evidence has shown that individual factors such as racial identity may moderate the negative impact of racial discrimination on elevated blood pressure, leading to poor cardiovascular health.
Disparities in health outcomes and healthcare experienced by communities of color and by survivors of violence exist. We sought to know how in order to develop programs to improve collaboration with disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
Recent News
“It’s really cool to come into the community as a student nurse,” said Hailey Turner who was taking her turn with a blood pressure measurement.
Area residents visiting the NCCU mobile health clinic received assistance with maladies including urinary tract infections, changing bandages, treatment for high blood pressure and tetanus vaccinations.