Research indicates African-American health, quality, and longevity of life are on the decline. High rates of diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and other obesity-related illnesses are disproportionately impacting the lives of African Americans of all ages and class strata.

This is not news. Health disparities amongst racial and ethnic groups in the US have long been a blight on the nation. Infant mortality and deaths amongst newborns born to African-American women are almost twice that of their White counterparts. African Americans lead the nation in reported new cases of HIV infection, and with cancer as the primary cause of death.

Physicians, researchers, and community public health administrators acknowledge these escalating issues as high priorities, and recent national and local initiatives have been launched with auspicious missions for eradicating specific illnesses within the African-American and other minority communities. Most notably on a local level are Project Sugar and Lean Teams, and Project Brotherhood in Chicago.

Drawing upon the success and impact of The Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) annual Ernest Just Scientific Symposium, The College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture and MUSC have joined forces to encourage, foster, and publicize the innovative research developments by American physicians and researchers whose work centers around health, environmental, genetic, historical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors impacting African-American health, longevity, and quality of life and/or cutting-edge medical developments targeted towards treating and or eradicating chronic diseases disproportionately afflicting African Americans.

Beginning in 2012, Avery Research Center and MUSC will award one Ernest Just Prize each academic calendar year. The annual call for research papers will go out each August and the winner will be announced at the annual Ernest Just Scientific Symposium held on the MUSC campus each February. A review panel of designated staff and faculty from the College of Charleston and MUSC will select an award recipient based upon the following criteria:

* Clarity of the research focus and evidence of its impact on African-American health and quality of life.
* Qualified research areas include medical and STEM research, public health, and medical/physical anthropology.
* Research must be conducted at a US university, medical school, or hospital.
* Applicants may be nominated or may self-nominate for consideration.
* If awarded, the recipient agrees to give a public lecture about his/her work at the Avery Research Center.

The Ernest Just Prize comes with a monetary award of $1,000. For information, contact the Avery Research Center at 953-7609