Investigating how racism affects health in Black Americans
Official title: Effects of Racism on Brain and Physiological Pathways to Health Disparities
Funded at Tufts University Medford · NIH-10918280 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how personal experiences with racism affect the health of Black Americans, using smartphone technology to track these experiences in real-time and see how they relate to physical and mental health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Medford NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $516,211 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH136641-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10918280 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who identify as Black or African American and have experienced racism in their lives.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not identify as Black or African American may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the impact of personal experiences with racism on the brain and body, particularly focusing on Black Americans. It aims to understand the physiological and psychological responses triggered by these experiences and how they contribute to health disparities. Using innovative smartphone technology, the study will track real-time experiences of racism and correlate them with health outcomes. By examining these connections, the research seeks to identify mechanisms that link racism to adverse health effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and strategies to mitigate health disparities faced by Black Americans due to racism.
How similar studies have gone: While the examination of racism's effects on health is gaining attention, this specific approach using real-time data collection and neuroscience is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
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Tufts University Medford
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shin, Lisa Marie — Tufts University Medford
- Study coordinator: Shin, Lisa Marie
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.