Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities (HABS-HD)

HABS-HD is the single most comprehensive study of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) among diverse communities in the United States.

The mission of the study is to understand and eliminate health inequities among African Americans and Mexican Americans, both of which experience a higher incidence of AD than non-Hispanic Whites, and are largely underrepresented in AD research.

The primary objective of the HABS-HD Development Core (led by Drs. Ozioma Okonkwo and Monica Rivera Mindt) is to recruit, support, and provide tailored mentored training to an annual cohort of trainees from underrepresented populations.

The program has curated educational opportunities that foster the training of a diverse workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, clinical and translational needs in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.

A distinctive feature of the program is that HABS-HD offers a multi-disciplinary approach to trainee selection and is not only open to those from the “traditional” biomedical sciences, but also to a wide range of disciplines such as public policy, journalism, arts, law, economics and more. However, a common interest in ADRDs and health inequities is required.

Click here to learn more about the HABS-HD study.

Awards

The HABS-HD scholars will receive an annual subaward (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) based on their educational/career level. This award can be spent on salary, pilot studies, tuition, travel, or other academic needs.

  • $95,000 – Early Career Faculty
  • $70,000 – Postdoctoral Fellows
  • $45,000 – Graduate/Medical Students

Participation in the HABS-HD Health Equity Scholars Program is a two-year commitment, during which scholars are expected to consistently fulfill all the outlined requirements. A second year of funding will be provided by HABS-HD contingent upon satisfactory performance in the Program, adequate progress on the outlined research project, and availability of funding.