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Feeding Hope: How One Researcher is Transforming Lives in the South
When Christopher Long, Ph.D., steps up to the microphone at the Forge AHEAD Center seminar, there’s a quiet urgency in his voice. It’s the conviction of someone who’s spent years researching how food impacts health outcomes and development of chronic diseases with a focus on the people living in the Southern U.S.
Our Scholars’ stories: Caldwell bridges the gap of genetics and nutrition to enhance health outcomes among African American communities in Baton Rouge
Disparities in health outcomes for African American adults involve both biological and social health determinants
Our scholars’ stories: Andrabi seeks to fill a gap in care for stroke survivors in Alabama’s Black Belt
African American communities have a higher prevalence of both hypertension and stroke than any other ethnicity. Alabama is among one of 11 states makes up part of the region known as the Stroke Belt where death from stroke is from 2 to 4 times greater than other states.
Presley Visits Primary Care Practices in the Black Belt
Caroline Presley, M.D., along with Macie Craft, recently visited primary care practices in the Black Belt area as part of Presley’s project on remotely-delivered Mindfulness-Based Diabetes Education for rural adults with uncontrolled diabetes and elevated distress.
Presley’s Research on Emotional Distress and Diabetes Management Highlighted at the ADA Scientific Sessions
At the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions, Caroline Presley, M.D., Project Principal Investigator at Forge AHEAD and Assistant Professor in Preventive Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, delivered a presentation titled “Emotional Distress and Insulin Initiation in the GRADE Trial.”
Ellison presented with George Bray Obesity Research Student Award at Nutrition 2024 Conference
Katie M. Ellison, MS, a doctoral student at UAB and mentee of FAC Core Project PI Drew Sayer, Ph.D., has received the prestigious George Bray Obesity Research Student Award at the Nutrition 2024 Conference in Chicago, where she presented her research on behavioral interventions in obesity treatment. Join us in congratulating Katie on this remarkable achievement.
From WNBA Dreams to Changing Lives: On A Mission to Promote Physical Activity
As a child, Amber W. Kinsey, Ph.D., dreamed of playing professional basketball in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). While her path led her elsewhere, her passion for sports ignited a lifelong mission to transform lives through physical activity and exercise.
Xie Aims to Bridge Gap Between Science and Community Health
In a region grappling with persistent health disparities, Rongbing Xie, DrPH, MPH, a scholar at the Forge AHEAD Center, is working to bring academic studies closer to the communities they aim to serve.
Forge AHEAD Center Announces Fourth Cohort of Scholars Focused on HIV
The Forge AHEAD Center (FAC) is delighted to introduce the recipients of its pilot funding for the fourth cohort, with a specific focus on HIV prevention and management in the Deep South.
Katie Ellison’s Journey: Triumph, Mentorship, and the George Bray Obesity Research Award
Katie M. Ellison, M.S., a doctoral student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), is on a remarkable journey that blends personal struggles with professional triumphs.
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Cite Forge AHEAD's Grant
Forge AHEAD Center is a regional comprehensive research center funded by a P50 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Click below for citation information.