Five new NIGMS grants expand COVID-19 testing and research in underserved communities

NIGMS has announced five new grant awards as part of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, an NIH-wide initiative. The program aims to understand the factors associated with disparities in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality and to lay the foundation to reduce disparities in underserved and vulnerable populations who are disproportionately affected by, have the highest infection rates of, and/or are most at risk for complications or poor outcomes from COVID-19.

The awards, which total more than $5.3M, went to the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) programs listed below. For more details about a specific award, search NIH RePORTER by the project number.

Emergency Competitive Revisions for Community-Engaged COVID-19 Testing Interventions Among Underserved and Vulnerable Populations – RADx-UP Phase II (NOT-OD-21-103):

• Brown University (RHODE ISLAND), Sharon Irene Smith Rounds, 3U54GM115677-06S2
• MAINE Health, Clifford James Rosen, 3U54GM115516-05S2

Administrative Supplements to Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake (NOT-OD-21-101):

• Brown University (RHODE ISLAND), Sharon Irene Smith Rounds, 3U54GM115677-06S4
• LOUISIANA State University Pennington Biomedical Research Center, John P. Kirwan, 3U54GM104940-06S4
• University of OKLAHOMA Health Sciences Center, Judith A. James, 3U54GM104938-09S3

These awards align with NIGMS’s mission to help develop the nation’s research capacity through programs such as IDeA. For more information about RADx-UP and other Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) programs, visit the NIH RADx webpage.