Jackson State University has received a 10-year, $14.5 million contract from the National Institutes of Health to extend its Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center, reinforcing the university’s role in advancing cardiovascular research and developing the next generation of public health leaders.
Announced during American Heart Month, the award was granted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, both part of the NIH. The funding renews Jackson State’s leadership in the multi-institution collaboration supporting the Jackson Heart Study, the largest investigation of cardiovascular disease in African Americans. Since 2013, the university has received more than $25 million through NIH funding tied to its work on the study.
Heart disease remains a leading cause of death in the United States, with African Americans experiencing higher rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conditions including hypertension, obesity, and diabetes also disproportionately affect Black communities and contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Launched in 1998, the Jackson Heart Study examines cardiovascular disease and related health risks among African Americans in the Jackson metropolitan area. The study has followed more than 5,300 participants between the ages of 34 and 85, generating decades of clinical data and biological samples that have informed prevention and treatment strategies. In 2025, the program marked its 25-year milestone, commemorating the first participant clinical exam conducted on Sept. 26, 2000.
Established at Jackson State in 2013, the Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center was created to strengthen graduate students’ capacity to advance disease prevention science and promote longer, healthier lives. Through specialized training and enrichment programs, the center prepares students for careers in biomedical and public health sciences, particularly in communities with significant unmet health needs.
The Jackson Heart Study collaboration also includes the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Tougaloo College, the University of Southern Mississippi, Wake Forest University, and the G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center. The institutions support follow-up research, new scientific discovery, and responsible data access while protecting participant confidentiality.
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically Black, doctoral university classified R2 by the Carnegie Classification for substantial research activity and doctoral degree production. Designated as Mississippi’s Urban University, it operates its main campus near downtown Jackson along with four satellite locations.
KEY QUOTES
“This investment reflects Jackson State’s continued leadership as a research institution and our ability to compete for major federal partnerships that deliver outcomes. It also reinforces our responsibility to develop talent and strengthen the evidence base that helps families live longer, healthier lives.”
Denise Jones Gregory, Ph.D., Interim President, Jackson State University
“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. 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.”
Marinelle Payton, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training And Education Center At Jackson State University
“This new award strengthens our role in advancing research while preparing students for careers that directly address health disparities. With the Jackson Heart Study entering its next era, we are focused on building a workforce equipped to translate data into effective prevention strategies and meaningful real-world impact.”
Almesha Campbell, Ph.D., Vice President For Research And Economic Development, Jackson State University
