HSC’s Center for Diversity and International Programs begins new era with name change that reflects growth
Media Contact: Eric Griffey
The center’s new name is the Institute for Health Disparities
The HSC Center for Diversity and International Programs (CDIP) is being renamed the Institute for Health Disparities (IHD) to reflect its growing size and engagement in a wide range of programs that train and educate professionals focused on ending health disparities in the United States.
Dr. Jamboor K. Vishwanatha, Regents Professor and Director, will continue leading the efforts of the Institute for Health Disparities.
“The new Institute name acknowledges the national leadership of our programs in minority health and health disparities,” Dr. Vishwanatha said. “IHD will support health disparity research, education and community engagement, mentorship and networking, and diversity training.”
There is a need to diversify the nation’s biomedical science workforce. The Institute’s work is central to addressing this national issue.
There is an accumulation of specialized knowledge in biomedical fields – it is a workforce that is trying to find tomorrow’s health solutions amid entrenched bias that create persistent health issues among certain populations.
Because minorities are underrepresented in science, there is inadequate scientific input from divergent social or cultural perspectives. That trend is a problem that detracts from the nation’s ability to resolve health disparities.
HSC is dedicated to building healthier communities by bridging disparities. That focus is key to work underway at the Institute.
The Institute has eight main components, including the newly announced AIM-AHEAD Coordinating Center. The Center is the central hub of the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Research Diversity.
“Dr. Vishwanatha’s teams outgrew their ‘center’ as they added new programs,” said Dr. Brian A. Gladue, HSC Vice President for Research and Innovation. “The Institute for Health Disparities has far-reaching impact as it continues to grow. HSC is deeply committed to the Institute as it expands research, training and outreach. We are excited about the work they are doing in and for our communities.”
The work taking place at the Institute includes:
- Texas Center for Health Disparities, one of 12 NIMHD Specialized Centers of Excellence in Minority Health Disparities in the country.
- National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), the national resource center for the NIH Diversity Consortium.
- AIM-AHEAD Coordinating Center, the central hub of the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Research Diversity
- Texas CEAL Consortium to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable populations and to evaluate these efforts through community-engaged research.
- Faculty Grant Writing and Professional Development
Provide research and mentoring to underrepresented graduate and health professional students, post-docs and junior faculty. - Graduate and Health Professional Student Training Programs
Support short-term and dual-degree research training for underrepresented students in health professions. - Undergraduate Summer Research Internships
Major undergraduate summer research programs at HSC are funded through numerous sources. Participants come from minority-serving institution partners across the United States. - K – 12 Outreach
Stimulate and broaden students’ awareness of biomedical and health professional career paths by exposing students to clinical and laboratory research environments at HSC.
About HSC
The University of North Texas Health Science Center is located in the heart of the Fort Worth Cultural District. HSC trains the health care providers and public health providers of the future, while expanding the frontiers of scientific discovery. In HSC’s six schools, students learn to work in teams and to develop an innovative mindset that prepares them for a rapidly changing health landscape. HSC Health, the clinical enterprise of the Health Science Center, provides patient-centered care to people across Tarrant County.
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