A Center for Understanding Health Differences
Official title: PHSU Specialized Center in Health Disparities
Funded at Ponce School of Medicine · NIH-11161311 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This center aims to understand and improve health for people in Puerto Rico by looking at conditions like asthma, mental illness, and substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ponce School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ponce, United States) |
| Project start | August 25, 1997 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $8,382,792 |
| NIH project number | 4U54MD007579-40 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161311 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients living with serious mental illness in Puerto Rico or those with asthma might be candidates for specific projects within this center.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without asthma, serious mental illness, or those not in Puerto Rico may not directly benefit from the specific patient-facing projects mentioned.
What this research studies
This center builds on past successes to continue exploring why health outcomes differ among people. It supports several core services and three main projects. One project uses animal models to understand how stress and cocaine use disorder affect health differently in males and females. Another project works directly with people in Puerto Rico to find better ways to support those with serious mental illness. A third project explores a new treatment approach for asthma by targeting specific immune cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to new ways to prevent and treat conditions like asthma, mental illness, and substance use disorder, especially for communities facing health disparities.
How similar studies have gone: The center is building upon significant accomplishments and successful goals from its previous funding period.
Where this research is happening
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Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Noel, Richard J. — Ponce School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Noel, Richard J.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.