Health Equity Research Core in the Woman and Child Institute
Health Equity Research Core in the Woman and Child Institute
Health Equity Research Core in the Woman and Child Institute
The Health Equity Research Core is now accepting applications for pilot grants. The goal of the Health Equity Research Core is to catalyze and support Pediatric research that prioritizes vulnerable children and addresses health disparities in both the U.S. and global contexts. We anticipate funding one faculty project at $25,000 (see RFP) and one fellow project (see RFP) at $12,500. A preliminary concept survey is due March 27, and final applications are due April 20.
Health Equity Research Core Fellow Pilot Grant Program
Request for Proposals instructions and guidelines.
Deadline for submission of preliminary concept survey: March 27th, 2026
Deadline for submissions of final applications: April 20th, 2026
Submit application to herc-request@lists.utah.edu
Previous Health Equity Research Core Pilot Grant Recipients
| Year | Title | PI | Position | Division | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pediatric Oncology Blood Product Utilization and Tracking at Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania | Amanda Johnson, MD | Assistant Professor | Pediatric Hematology/Oncology | ||
| 2025 | Characterizing and strengthening pediatric trauma systems in Cape Town, South Africa | Kajsa Vlasic, MD | Clinical Instructor | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | ||
| 2025 | Perspectives and communication preferences: a mixed methods study on alcohol use and related harms among adolescents in Northern Tanzania | Cassidy Huun, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | ||
| 2025 | Healthcare inequities predictive of morbidity and mortality in congenital heart surgery | Edward Hardison, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Cardiology | ||
| 2024 | Sociodemographic factors and access to eye care for school children in Kumasi, Ghana | Afua Asare, PhD | Assistant Professor | Opthamology | ||
| 2024 | Facilitators and barriers of providing culturally informed pediatric refugee care from the perspectives of Utah families and emergency providers | Stuti Das, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | ||
| 2024 | Arginase-1 (Arg1) Expressing Myeloid-Derived Cells Play a Critical Role in the Asymptomatic Carriage of P. falciparum in Children | Lauren Lajos, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Infectious Diseases | ||
| 2023 | Predictors of morbidity, mortality and care delays amongst pediatric burn injury patients in Northern Tanzania | Kajsa Vlasic, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | ||
| 2023 | Equity and Accessibility of Fertility Preservation Equity and Accessibility of Fertility Preservation Services for Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Patients | Caleb Hocutt, MD | Fellow | Pediatric Hematology/Oncology | ||
| 2022 | Pediatric Screening and Management of Type II Diabetes in the Primary Care Provider’s Office: A Quality Improvement Project | Jose Morales Moreno, MD | Assistant Professor | General Pediatrics | ||
| 2021 | Healthcare Discrimination in Children with Special Healthcare Needs | Stefanie Ames, MD, MS | Assistant Professor | Pediatric Critical Care | ||
| 2021 | Improved Identification of Pediatric Disparities in Asthma Treatment | Michael Johnson, MD | Associate Professor | Pediatric Emergency Medicine |
Research Focus
We aim to support research activities and programs that meet one or both of the following criteria:
- Research on child health in low- or middle-income countries and/or with marginalized populations in the United States (e.g., immigrants, refugees, underserved urban environments, rural and tribal areas)
- Research that aims to understand and/or address disparities in child health, including disparities by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, language preference and gender identity
Areas of support
The Core provides services to Pediatric faculty and collaborators in the following three areas:
- Generation of study ideas and grant applications
- Networking of investigators
- Mentorship of junior investigators and investigators new to health equity research
If you would like to be added to the Core’s listserv or would like to request support, you can reach us at herc-request@lists.utah.edu.
Leadership
Dr. Krow Ampofo, MBCHB
Pediatric Infectious Disease
krow.ampofo@hsc.utah.edu
Dr. Melissa Watt, PhD
Population Health Sciences
melissa.watt@hsc.utah.edu
Dr. Elizabeth Keating, MD, MSPH
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
elizabeth.keating@hsc.utah.edu