# Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative (SHERC)

> **NIH NIH U54** · NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $4,086,352

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall goal of the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative (SHERC) is to increase basic
biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research at Northern Arizona University (NAU) to address health disparities
and advance health equity among diverse populations of the southwestern United States. In the next 5 years,
we will increase research capacity especially in the areas of clinical and translational research with a focus on
team science and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). SHERC will work closely with community
partners to expand capacity to address health disparities in multiple chronic and infectious diseases, as well as
high-priority behavioral health conditions, as determined by community partners. SHERC consists of 5 cores
that all interact synergistically. Each of the SHERC cores provides a clear opportunity for innovation
individually; in combination, they demonstrate significant impact in innovation. The Administrative Core
combines evidence-based organizational theory with a tested but novel use of a “continuous improvement”
model of program assessment and feedback. The innovative Core Leadership Development Program will
cultivate a new cadre of mentored research leaders from underrepresented (UR) backgrounds. The Research
Capacity Core focuses on enhancing translational, data, and clinical science, and simultaneously aims to
grow the use of novel laboratory technologies, cutting-edge community-engaged methods and models,
biostatistics, interinstitutional collaborations, and support of relevant NAU core research facilities. The
Investigator Development Core will support early-stage investigators in basic biomedical, behavioral, and
clinical sciences at NAU through 2 programs: a Pilot Project Program and an Individualized Mentoring
Program. The Community Engagement Core uses an innovative 4-direction Framework for Inquiry and
Action that will represent the shared and distinct social determinants of health in Arizona. The Recruitment
Core aims to recruit 2 mid-level or senior faculty members with established health equity research programs to
fill gaps in institutional expertise; to support the new hires in establishing collaborative and independent health
equity research programs at NAU; and to integrate them into SHERC as collaborators, mentors, and leaders.
The 3 Research Projects include the following innovative studies: Project 1 (Camplain) addresses physical
activity and sedentary behavior and their impact on health outcomes among women incarcerated in Arizona.
Project 2 (Cope) focuses on childhood asthma and aims to determine the effect of a gut microbiome modifying
therapy (fiber supplementation) to improve type-2 asthma symptoms by reducing airway inflammation via the
gut microbiome-airway axis. Project 3 (Mihaljevic) will develop and operationalize modeling tools that allow us
to rapidly improve the design and implementation of spatial epidemiological models of SARS-CoV-2 that are
informed ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10707449
- **Project number:** 5U54MD012388-07
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Julie A. Baldwin
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $4,086,352
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-20 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10707449

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10707449, Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative (SHERC) (5U54MD012388-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10707449. Licensed CC0.

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