# PHSU Specialized Center in Health Disparities

> **NIH NIH U54** · PONCE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $4,728,798

## Abstract

SUMMARY OVERALL RENEWAL RCMI CENTER APPLICATION
During the last funding cycle, 2019-2024, the PHSU RCMI Comprehensive Center for Health Disparities reached
important milestones in spite of challenges caused by natural events of nature. According to the assessment
made by the RCMI External Advisory Committee and the External Evaluation Team, the PHSU RCMI Center
was successful in reaching the major goals and objectives for the funding cycle and accomplishments were
significant. In the present renewal application, we are proposing to build up from previous accomplishments to
move forward to the next level of competitiveness. The renewal application will consist of five Core Units
(Administration, Research Faculty Recruitment, Center for Research Resources, Community Training for Health
Disparities (CTIHD) and the Strategic Pipeline for Academic Research Career Success (SPARCS) and three full
research projects. These research projects are designed to provide answer to critical questions in the area of
health disparities. They include these studies: “Sex Difference in a rodent model of co-occurrence of chronic
stress and cocaine use disorder” (Basic Full Research Project). “Testing Bridges to Better Health and Wellness
for People Living with Serious Mental Illness in Puerto Rico” (Behavioral Full Research Project) and” Spleen
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition to Target Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Asthma” (Clinical Full Research Project).
These studies promise to shed light on fundamental details leading to health disparities in our most
disadvantaged communities. The RCMI Center will continue to be spearheaded by Jose A. Torres-Ruiz, Ph.D.,
as the Contact PI; Richard Noel, Jr., Ph.D., PI, and Mrs. Doris Andujar as the Executive Manager. Progress of
all proposed activities under the renewal RCMI application will be assessed by the RCMI Internal and External
Advisory Committees, and by the Monitoring and Evaluation Team (Nexos). The Monitoring and Evaluation
Team will review and implement the formative and summative evaluation plans across the PHSU-RCMI Center.
The evaluation plans will be developed to assess the effectiveness of the Center to continue building research
infrastructure to support development of high quality basic, behavioral, clinical, and translational research
activities with strong emphasis on addressing minority health and health disparities. The external team will
evaluate the progress of the center in fulfilling the mission of the overall program and its core objectives based
on the measure of progress toward achieving short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. The development
of the PHSU RCMI Center will be supported by an aggressive recruitment of well-trained researchers in the
RCMI targeted areas and the expansion of PHSU building facilities. The Center will also benefit from a robust
institutional commitment and continuity of leadership across the Cores.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10797606
- **Project number:** 2U54MD007579-39
- **Recipient organization:** PONCE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Richard J. Noel
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $4,728,798
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-08-25 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10797606

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10797606, PHSU Specialized Center in Health Disparities (2U54MD007579-39). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10797606. Licensed CC0.

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