Navigating Midlife Health in rural Black Americans
Official title: Navigating the Journey to Middle Age in the SHAPE Study
Funded at University of Georgia · NIH-11408497 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study in rural African American communities follows young people as they grow into adulthood to understand how stress, poverty, and aging biology affect risk for heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Georgia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $647,837 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG093018-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408497 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are African American individuals from rural South communities who have participated in or are connected to SHAPE-related cohorts and are willing to contribute health information and biological samples over time.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not connected to rural African American communities or not willing to provide longitudinal data/samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH-funded project tracks African American youth from the rural South as they move into adulthood, exploring how early-life adversity and ongoing stress impact body systems and the risk of chronic diseases. It builds on the SHAPE study by adding biological measures of aging and inflammation to see how life experiences shape health trajectories. The study uses a combination of questionnaires, clinical assessments, and biological samples to connect social conditions with changes in the body that precede disease. Participants may contribute data and samples over time and receive information about health resources as part of the study offers. The goal is to identify moments where interventions could reduce the burden of aging-related diseases in this community.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could lead to earlier prevention strategies and resources tailored to rural African American families to reduce risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous SHAPE findings show the feasibility of tracking biological aging markers in this population, supporting the potential value of this extended study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Georgia
Athens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ehrlich, Katherine Babcock — University of Georgia
- Study coordinator: Ehrlich, Katherine Babcock
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.