FAMU researchers awarded Gates Foundation grant to study maternal and child health disparities in Florida's Big Bend region

Selina Darling-Reed,Ph.D.

A team of FAMU researchers within the College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health (CoPPS, IPH) has secured a $469,128 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to examine maternal and child health disparities in the Big Bend region. The grant covers an 18 month period, and is led by principal investigator Selina Darling-Reed, Ph.D., associate dean and associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences.  

The funding represents the University’s first BMGF research grant.

“We are hopeful that the results from this study could have a significant impact on understanding the level of  health disparities and mortality inequities experienced in mothers and infants in the Big Bend Area of Florida and in many minority and underserved communities throughout the country,” said Darling-Reed.

The study seeks to understand the relationship between lifestyle, including diet, factors, behaviors, and maternal and fetal health outcomes in minority women in Florida, using Florida Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics data; what nutritional services and educational services do minority women receive; what breakdown products of biological molecules are detected as an indicator of poor maternal outcomes and external changes to the DNA occur in minority women peri and post pregnancy that correlate to specific lifestyle health disparities.

Specifically, researchers are seeking to determine the impact of poor nutrition, environmental, or lifestyle factors on pregnant minority on maternal health and the future health of their infant in the Big Bend area. They also want to improve the poor maternal and child health outcomes among minority women.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity and opens up the door for a sustained fruitful research partnership with the Gates Foundation,” Harris said. “Dr. Darling-Reed will provide phenomenal leadership with an outstanding talented team of maternal and child health faculty in public health, basic sciences, economic, social and administrative pharmacy, and the health care community.”

The team includes co-principal investigators, Professor Fran Close, Ph.D.; Associate Professor Sarah Buxbaum, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Arlesia Mathis, Ph.D., faculty from the Institute of Public Health, and Professor Sandra Suther, Ph.D.,  director of the Economic, Social, and Administrative Pharmacy Division, and Associate Dean of Research and Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Karam F Soliman, Ph.D.;  and Elizabeth Mazzio, Ph.D., assistant professor of research of Pharmaceutical Sciences Division in partnership with Primary Healthcare physician Dr. Remelda Saunders-Jones.