Howard University, a historically Black educational institution in Washington D.C., has announced plans to launch the National Research Center for Health Disparities.
The HBCU has acquired a multi-floor lease to house lab and office space for the new center, located adjacent to Howard’s main campus. The new facility will also feature neighborhood-focused, ground-level retail space and outdoor plazas for university and community events.
The academic center will feature state-of-the-art laboratory technology for scholars at Howard University, industry partners, and federal agencies to research disparities in healthcare incidence, accessibility, treatment, and outcomes. The center’s first phase will be to provide advanced research and flexible office space to scholars in need of physical laboratories, as well as meeting areas for collaborative programs and policy development. Initial projects within the center will focus on key health disparities that affect the Black community, including heart health, diabetes, sick cell anemia, gastrointestinal diseases, and cancer.
“The impact of health disparities on our communities continue to challenge us to find new and innovative approaches to achieving optimal health for everyone — without regard to race, ethnicity, age or gender,” said Howard University President Ben Vinson III. “Howard’s new National Research Center for Health Disparities positions the university to uniquely lead the next generation of research efforts that are critical to addressing the growing complexity of our healthcare needs.”
