# The Institute for Health Equity Research Catalyst Center

> **NIH NIH P50** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $759,917

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Health disparities science has advanced significantly over the last two decades, yet complex challenges remain.
Improving the health and health care of populations, and by extension the health of all communities, will require
a robust, transdisciplinary minority health and health disparities (MH/HD) research workforce with expertise in
health equity research methods and approaches, and experience engaging with communities and multi-sector
stakeholders. Emerging MH/HD researchers will need to become adept at designing multi-level, multi-domain
studies to address the many intersecting factors and sources that contribute to health disparities and should be
committed to engaging communities across all phases of research, from the development of research questions
to dissemination of findings to scientific and non-scientific audiences. We propose to establish the Institute for
Health Equity Research Catalyst Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, guided by an
Appreciative Inquiry framework. The Center will provide scientific training and funding support to promote the
engagement, advancement, and retention of investigators across Mount Sinai in community-informed research
focused on understanding and eliminating health disparities. A key priority will be bi-directional capacity building
in MH/HD research (investigators  community partners), and we will engage community partners across Center
programs and activities. The Center’s aims are to: (1) Build on existing strengths, expertise, and resources to
develop the Center’s governance, programmatic, and evaluation components (Administrative Core); (2) Catalyze
efforts to conduct MH/HD research to support trainees/faculty at all levels and across all disciplines through
education and training; and implement the Catalyst Scholars Pilot Project Program for early-stage investigators
planning to submit NIH K or R applications (Investigator Development Core (IDC)). Pilot projects will be required
to: focus on disparities populations, incorporate domains from the NIMHD framework, and include community-
engaged approaches; (3) Leverage our existing, expansive academic-community partnerships to convene a
Catalyst Community Board (CCB) to collaborate with the IDC on all aspects of the Center’s work (Community
Engagement and Dissemination Core/CEDC) and link Scholars to community consultants, and research and
dissemination partners. Catalyst activities for all faculty and trainees include Health Equity Research Methods
and Approaches Workshops & Seminars, a health disparities consultation service, multi-sector summits. Catalyst
Scholars will be paired with health equity mentors, have access to experts in MH/HD research approaches and
methods, and participate in research methods workshops, health equity seminars and career development
activities; they will present their work to the CCB for input at project start-up and upon completion to co-develop
novel dissemination strat...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10899938
- **Project number:** 1P50MD019475-01
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** SIDNEY H HANKERSON
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $759,917
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-21 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10899938

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10899938, The Institute for Health Equity Research Catalyst Center (1P50MD019475-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-16 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10899938. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*