Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Historically Black Clark Atlanta University received a $10.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue the work of the Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development. The center, founded in 1999, focuses on prostate cancer research.
Morgan State University, the historically Black educational institution in Baltimore, received a $1,248,895 grant from the National Science Foundation for its School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences. The grant will fund the university’s PERSIST program that includes a pre-college transition program, research opportunities for undergraduates, and mentoring. The program is under the direction of Lisa D. Brown, an associate professor and associate chair of the biology department. Dr. Brown is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Connecticut.
Historically Black Meharry Medical College in Nashville has received a $7.5 million grant from Juul Labs, the nation’s largest manufacturer of vaping products. The medical school stated that the grant comes with no strings attached and it is free to conduct research on vaping as it sees fit. Several recent studies point to the possible dangers of vaping, including nicotine addiction.
Florida A&M University, the historically Black educational institution in Tallahassee, received $3.36 million in federal funds to continue research that supports healthy oceans and resilient and vibrant coastal communities. The grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. Most of the center’s research is focused on the Florida Gulf Coast, specifically Apalachicola Bay. Two other HBCUs are partners on the project: Jackson State Univerity in Mississippi and Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
