Researchers at the University of Alabama recently received $8.1 million in life science funding from the National Institutes of Health for a study involving the etiology of geographic and racial differences in stroke. The life science grant was awarded in January of 2014 by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a branch within the National Institutes of Health.
“Stroke has the largest racial disparity of any chronic disease,” say researchers at the University of Alabama. “Geographic disparities also exist, and the magnitude of both disparities is increasing. Alarmingly, REGARDS has documented racial and geographic disparities in cognitive decline that are of the same magnitude as for stroke. A lack of understanding of the causes of these disparities has contributed directly to the failure to reduce or eliminate them. REGARDS is a national cohort of 30,239 black and white community-dwelling participants aged 45+ when enrolled in 2003-2007. We propose to utilize the cohort to build on findings to date and extend our findings to evaluate new hypotheses.”
The project leader for this study receiving the latest round of NIH life science funding is Dr. Howard George, a professor within the University of Alabama’s School of Public Health. Dr. George received his training in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has published extensively on the topic of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors, with a specific interest in the use of statistical techniques in large clinical trials and epidemiological studies. As project leader, management of the new life science grant will fall largely on him.
Dr. George Howard
Image courtesy of University of Alabama
“REGARDS is positioned to document disparities in incidence of stroke and cognitive impairment and also to understand why these disparities exist,” says the NIH Project Information page. “We propose to conduct a second in-person evaluation to define incidence and progression of stroke risk factors. We will continue stroke ascertainment to double the number of stroke events and improve our ability to define factors contributing to the as yet 'unexplained' stroke disparities. By continuing cognitive assessments, and adding more sensitive in-person measures of cognitive function, and instrumental activities of daily living, we will advance the understanding of causes and clinical relevance of disparities in cognitive decline.”
The University of Alabama, Birmingham is a prestigious research and learning institution well respected worldwide for the quality research its scientists produce. Ranked among the top 50 public universities in the nation in U.S. News and World Report’s annual college rankings for over ten years, the University of Alabama ranked 32nd among public universities in the 2013 rankings.
As a powerhouse research institution with a wealth of life science funding available to scientists interested in keeping state-of-the-art research labs, the University of Alabama is a valuable market for lab suppliers working to market lab supplies and life science solutions. Our life science vendor show is the perfect opportunity to increase your brand recognition at this well-funded university easily and economically. Biotechnology Calendar, Inc.’s BioResearch Product Faire™ Event at the University of Alabama will take place on November 13th, 2014.
Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. is a full-service science research marketing and events planning company that organizes life science vendor shows at top research universities across the United States. If you are interested in exhibiting at a life science vendor show closer to home, we encourage you to view our 2014 calendar of events. For more life science grant information on the University of Alabama, or to learn more about this life science vendor show, click on the button below.