Key Takeaways
- One of only 22 nationwide: The University of Houston received a highly competitive $18.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, placing UH among just 22 institutions in the country selected for this major investment in chronic disease research.
- A new approach to chronic disease: The five-year initiative will study the biological, behavioral and social factors that drive chronic disease while embedding community partners throughout the research process to move discoveries into practice more quickly.
- Advancing UH Health: The grant advances UH Health, the University of Houston’s academic health enterprise, by expanding research capacity, supporting the next generation of investigators and accelerating discoveries that improve health in communities across Houston and beyond.
The University of Houston has received an $18.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to launch an innovative initiative addressing the root causes of chronic disease, further strengthening its leadership in research that improves lives.
Housed within UH Population Health, the five-year initiative places the University among just 22 institutions nationwide to receive this highly competitive NIH award.
"This award is a testament to the University of Houston's growing portfolio of major research awards and the high-impact, interdisciplinary work our faculty are leading," said Claudia Neuhauser, vice president for research at UH. "By advancing innovative population health research, we're expanding UH's impact and strengthening our position as a leading national research university focused on solving complex societal challenges."
Addressing the Root Causes of Chronic Disease
Chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability and death in the U.S., affecting more than three-quarters of American adults and accounting for 90% of the nation’s $5.3 trillion in annual healthcare spending. From heart disease and stroke to diabetes and hypertension, these conditions place an enormous burden on individuals, families and communities.
The new NIH-funded initiative aims to reverse those trends by bringing together researchers across disciplines to better understand and address the biological, behavioral and social factors that drive chronic disease.
“Chronic disease management largely happens during the 8,700 hours each year that people are not visiting their healthcare provider,” said Bettina Beech, chief of Population Health and Translational Science at UH and principal investigator of the grant. “While healthcare is indispensable, it only accounts for 20% of how health is created — genetics accounts for another 10%, and the other 70% is determined by behavior, social conditions and environment.”
Research Reaching Beyond the Lab
Unlike traditional research models that can take years to reach patients and communities, the UH initiative embeds community partners throughout the research process, helping move discoveries into practice more quickly while ensuring the research addresses the needs of the people it is intended to serve.
By bridging the gap between basic laboratory science and the daily realities of community life, the initiative seeks to reduce the immense human and economic toll of chronic disease.
“At its core, this grant is about helping people live healthier lives by bringing research out of the lab and into the community where chronic disease is managed every day,” Beech said. “We will co-facilitate research together, so those findings are immediately shared with the people and communities that need them most.”
A Broader Vision for Health and Healthcare
The grant also reflects the broader vision behind UH Health, the University's integrated academic health enterprise, which brings together education, research and clinical partnerships to address complex health challenges.
"This generous funding allows us to directly confront the root causes of chronic illness that place a heavy burden on so many families," said Dr. Jonathan McCullers, vice president for health affairs at UH. "With the recent launch of UH Health, we have an unprecedented opportunity to translate scientific discovery into healthier outcomes for our communities by bringing together experts from across the University to improve health where it matters most.”
The grant also strengthens the University's capacity to tackle chronic disease by supporting complementary research, investing in early-career investigators, expanding research infrastructure and deepening community partnerships.
“The future of healthcare depends on great hospitals, but the future of health depends on great communities. Our work is to connect the two,” Beech said.
