The City University of New York (CUNY) School of Medicine has announced the establishment of the New York Center for Minority Health, Equity and Social Justice, thanks to a groundbreaking $19.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This initiative represents CUNY’s largest NIH grant to date and is the first center in New York exclusively focused on addressing health disparities among racial and ethnic groups.
Housed primarily on CUNY’s Harlem campus, the center aims to combat significant health inequities in Harlem and the South Bronx through scientific research and community outreach. With Black and Latino New Yorkers comprising over half of the city’s population yet only 16% of its medical practitioners, the initiative seeks to enhance the representation of these communities in biomedical research and healthcare professions.
“This center represents a pivotal moment in our fight against health disparities,” said Dr. Carmen Renée Green, Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine. “With this substantial NIH funding, we are poised to make a significant impact by supporting innovative research, fostering a diverse pool of researchers, and addressing the critical health needs of our community.”
The center will initially focus on three areas of research: therapeutic strategies for kidney disease in minority populations, mental health resources for Chinese American adolescents and their parents, and clinical care enhancements for Parkinson’s disease patients in Latino communities. Ultimately, this initiative aims to create a more equitable healthcare landscape for underserved populations in New York City.
See “CUNY School of Medicine Awarded $19 Million NIH Grant to Create Health Equity Center” (October 29, 2024)