The University of Maryland Center for Health Disparities Research, Training and Outreach is a partnership between the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Funded by a $4.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the goal is to reduce and eliminate health disparities through technology and translation of research advances from bench to clinic and clinic to community.

The target areas for this research grant are Maryland’s rural and urban underserved communities, including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics and low-income whites.

The aims for this research project are:

• To foster health disparities research on renal and eye disease, cancer and mental health between the two collaborating institutions;
• To promote and expand the ability of collaborating institutions to foster, coordinate and conduct evidence-based, culturally appropriate community outreach and dissemination;
• To enhance and expand the ability of collaborating institutions to foster minority student and faculty training in health disparities research; and
• To enhance and formalize the coordination of shared resources to promote health disparities research, community outreach and training activities.