Meharry Genomics Center for Community Health
Official title: Meharry Center for Genome Research (MCGR)
Funded at Meharry Medical College · NIH-11312006 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project creates a genomics center and blood repository to use genetic information to better understand chronic and inflammatory diseases common in local communities and help develop improved tests and treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Meharry Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,191,378 |
| NIH project number | 4UH3HG013248-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312006 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include local patients with chronic inflammatory conditions such as sarcoidosis, certain cancers, dementia, or tuberculosis, and community members willing to donate blood and health information.
✕Less likely to help
People without the targeted chronic or inflammatory conditions or those unable to provide samples or attend local study visits are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
This center brings together laboratory, clinical, and computational teams to use genetic data to learn why conditions like sarcoidosis, certain cancers, dementia, and tuberculosis affect people differently. One project will link loss-of-function genetic variants to disease traits, another will connect inflammatory and mitochondrial genetics to immune cell patterns that may predict outcomes, and a third will address recruitment barriers while building a blood biobank for biomarker work. The effort includes infrastructure development, partnerships with nearby universities, and community-engaged approaches to make research more inclusive. Participating may involve giving a blood sample and sharing health information to support genetic and biomarker studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this center could lead to better genetic tests, biomarkers, and more targeted prevention or treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases in the communities served.
How similar studies have gone: Genomic centers and biobanks have previously enabled discovery of genetic links and biomarkers, so this builds on proven approaches while emphasizing community engagement and regional partnerships.
Where this research is happening
-
Meharry Medical College
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shanker, Anil — Meharry Medical College
- Study coordinator: Shanker, Anil
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.