Jackson State University Gets $14.5M To Extend Contract For Heart Study Training Center

The HBCU will continue providing research opportunities for its public health students.

Jackson State University (JSU) will have more time to train Black graduate students in heart health research after receiving $14.5 million from the National Institutes of Health to extend its contract another 10 years.

The money will support the university’s Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center, according to a press release. Launched in 2013, the Training and Education Center has garnered $25 million as it reduces the gap in public health expertise.

The JSU-based Training Center will further its talent pipeline and research opportunities for the next cohort of public health professionals.

Graduate students at the center will engage in enrichment opportunities and specialized training, making them competitive candidates in public health careers.

“This investment reflects Jackson State’s continued leadership as a research institution and our ability to compete for major federal partnerships that deliver outcomes,” said Denise Jones Gregory, Ph.D., interim president of Jackson State. “It also reinforces our responsibility to develop talent and strengthen the evidence base that helps families live longer, healthier lives.”

The money is also a boon for the Jackson Heart Study, deemed the largest investigation of cardiovascular disease in Black Americans.

The Jackson Heart Study was launched in 1998, shaping modern prevention, treatment, and education toward cardiovascular health in Black communities. Over the past 25 years, it has accrued generations of data from over 5,300 participants to strengthen its research and preventative care strategy.

The study has also advanced research and holistic treatment efforts for heart-related illnesses, such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Black people remain disproportionately impacted by these issues, making this study critical for addressing this systemic health problem.

“Because the Jackson Heart Study was built with and for our community, the knowledge it has generated over 25 years has saved lives and transformed our understanding of heart disease risk among African Americans,” said Marinelle Payton, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of the Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center at Jackson State. “This renewed investment allows us to continue training the next generation of public health leaders to translate world-class cardiovascular data into effective prevention strategies, earlier care, and healthier futures.”