2023 Seed Funding Announcement

The Program in Health Equity and Population Health Seed Grant Program was established in 2017 and awarded its first of several planned awards in 2021.

In 2021, the Program in Health Equity and Population Health gave a $25,000 award to a proposal titled COVID-19 related disruptions in the diagnosis of new cancers: disparities in care utilization and patient outcomes (PIs: Dr. Brajesh Lal, Surgery, and Dr. Brian Englum, Surgery). Their projecy was selected, in part, because of their bidirectional partnership with their Community Advisor, Ms. Nancy McCormick. Ms. McCormick is long-time member of the Baltimore community and part of the PATIENTS program PCORI advisory board. She is engaged in cancer care as a survivor, and is contributing a community perspective on study design, data interpretation, and future directions with community focus groups, advisory boards, surveys, recommendations. She is working with Drs. Lal and Englum, and the rest of the research team to achieve the project aims: (1) Identify patient and community factors that impact the disruption in new cancer diagnoses in the COVID era; and (2) Quantify consequences of the disruption in new cancer diagnoses in the COVID era, and how patient and community factors impact these consequences. In July, Drs. Lal and Englum submitted a 6-month report on their findings and presented them to the program at the all-member meeting.

In Fall 2022, the Program in Health Equity and Population Health began incorporating Lightning Talks into their bi-monthly all-member meetings.  In this series of Lightning Talks presented by Health Equity Researchers, faculty deliver a 5 minute talk about a research idea with the objectives of engaging transdisciplinary partners and receiving brief and stimulating feedback for the project. The presentation is followed by Q&A and advice (e.g., ideas, suggestions for collaborators) from the audience to assist the presenter in moving forward.  Faculty who present lightning talks are encouraged to incorporate the feedback they receive and to apply for seed funding for their projects in 2023.  Consideration is given to those researchers who present lightning talks, but it is not a requirement for the application. 

Please download the announcment to read the details regarding application requirements and process: 2023 HEPH Seed Funding Announcement

For questions, assistance, or to schedule a lightning talk, please contact erin.walton@som.umaryland.edu .