Participate in Research
Participate in Forge AHEAD-Funded Research Projects
Forge AHEAD Center focuses on research for the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. With your help, we can improve health outcomes for diabetes, obesity, and hypertension throughout the South.
There are plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved! Explore below.
Stepping Into Lifestyle Change (SILC) is a research study focused on healthy weight loss among African American women, age 30 or older, who are pre-diabetic and/or have high blood pressure and who live, work, or worship in select rural communities throughout Alabama and Mississippi. This project is implementing and evaluating weight loss programs of improved diet and increased physical activity.
The study is enrolling women 30 years or older who self identify as Black and/or African American and live, work, or worship in one of 12 specific intervention communities of rural Alabama counties. These individuals must also have a measured BMI over 25 and at least one other cardiometabolic risk factor (ex. hypertension).
See the link below for more information and additional criteria for eligibility.
PROPEL-IT stands for Promoting Successful Weight Loss in Primary Care in Louisiana using Information Technology. This study is being conducted to determine if a two-year weight loss program that uses virtual health coaching will help Black adults with obesity and diabetes (Type 2) or prediabetes lose more weight and improve their quality of life compared to patients receiving usual medical care.
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you live in Louisiana, have an Ochsner Health primary care provider, identify as Black or African American, are between age 40-70, have a BMI between 30 and 50 and have prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Participants must also have an internet-connected device they are willing to use for coaching sessions.
For more information on eligibility and expectations, follow the link below.
In the Food Delivery, Remote Monitoring, and Coaching-Enhanced Education for Optimized Diabetes Management (FREEDOM) study, investigators are working to develop optimized, multilevel interventions that might be used in the future for better control of Type 2 diabetes. With the help of research participants in Alabama and Mississippi, they hope to learn the best combination of digital health coaching, food box delivery, and remote patient monitoring that works for people with diabetes as well as another chronic condition (ex. coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease).
People with Type 2 diabetes who are at least 18 years old and self-identify as Black or African American may qualify to participate if they also are in ongoing insulin treatment, have a primary care physician. There are additional eligibility requirements and some exclusions, so learn more at the link below.
Research with Partner Institutions
If you are interested in participating in research studies in your area, visit these institutional websites where you will find even more opportunities to contribute.
Look for Even More Volunteer Opportunities
- Search and explore past and present research projects at ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Join ResearchMatch.org and stay connected to current and future opportunities of interest to you.
Latest News from the Forge AHEAD Center
Presley’s Research on Emotional Distress and Diabetes Management Highlighted at the ADA Scientific Sessions
At the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions, Caroline Presley, M.D., Project Principal Investigator at Forge AHEAD and Assistant Professor in Preventive Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, delivered a presentation titled “Emotional Distress and Insulin Initiation in the GRADE Trial.”
Ellison presented with George Bray Obesity Research Student Award at Nutrition 2024 Conference
Katie M. Ellison, MS, a doctoral student at UAB and mentee of FAC Core Project PI Drew Sayer, Ph.D., has received the prestigious George Bray Obesity Research Student Award at the Nutrition 2024 Conference in Chicago, where she presented her research on behavioral interventions in obesity treatment. Join us in congratulating Katie on this remarkable achievement.
From WNBA Dreams to Changing Lives: On A Mission to Promote Physical Activity
As a child, Amber W. Kinsey, Ph.D., dreamed of playing professional basketball in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). While her path led her elsewhere, her passion for sports ignited a lifelong mission to transform lives through physical activity and exercise.
Xie Aims to Bridge Gap Between Science and Community Health
In a region grappling with persistent health disparities, Rongbing Xie, DrPH, MPH, a scholar at the Forge AHEAD Center, is working to bring academic studies closer to the communities they aim to serve.
Forge AHEAD Center Announces Fourth Cohort of Scholars Focused on HIV
The Forge AHEAD Center (FAC) is delighted to introduce the recipients of its pilot funding for the fourth cohort, with a specific focus on HIV prevention and management in the Deep South.
Katie Ellison’s Journey: Triumph, Mentorship, and the George Bray Obesity Research Award
Katie M. Ellison, M.S., a doctoral student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), is on a remarkable journey that blends personal struggles with professional triumphs.
Addressing racism in cardiometabolic health research
Pennington Biomedical Research Center hosted Michele Allen, M.D., and Kene Orakwue, MPH for the Forge AHEAD April seminar where they presented on their innovative approaches to combatting health disparities, building on a framework that acknowledges the deep impact that racism has on health outcomes.
Our Scholars’ stories: Lai tests virtual reality gaming exercise benefits at a local high school for youth with disabilities
Byron Lai, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is researching a new way to help children with disabilities stay healthy.
Our Scholars’ stories: Cardozo explores the link between PCOS and cardiovascular disease
Pennington Biomedical Research Center hosted Michele Allen, M.D., and Kene Orakwue, MPH for the Forge AHEAD April seminar where they presented on their innovative approaches to combatting health disparities, building on a framework that acknowledges the deep impact that racism has on health outcomes.
Championing Black Maternal Health
At Forge AHEAD, we are committed to confronting the grave health disparities faced by Black mothers with both urgent action and long-term science-based approaches to address these health disparities. We recognize that addressing the health disparities impacting Black mothers is both a matter of public health and of justice and equity. During Black Maternal Health Week, we spotlighted the stark realities and promising interventions through the voices of experts dedicated to making a difference.
