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Rendell Administration Announces Health Research Grants From Tobacco Settlement Funds

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 May 2006, 18:04 CDT

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Secretary Dr. Calvin Johnson today announced that five health research grants totaling nearly $19 million will be awarded from Pennsylvania's share of the national tobacco settlement for 2005-2006.

These non-formula grants - competitive grants that focus on a specific research priority and are not dictated by a formula - will develop "Centers of Excellence" to research the prevention and treatment of obesity and its complications, placing emphasis on populations that are at high risk for and/or disproportionately affected by obesity. "Center of Excellence" is a special designation given to medical or educational institutions conducting concentrated, specialized research.

"Sixty percent of Pennsylvanians are overweight or obese, but what is of even greater concern is that urban, rural and minority populations are disproportionately affected by obesity and obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoarthritis," said Secretary Johnson. "This research will help to eliminate health disparities and improve outcomes in these populations, and these grants once again affirm Governor Rendell's commitment to using the tobacco settlement dollars to improve public health."

The Tobacco Master Settlement Law, Act 77 of 2001, requires that tobacco settlement funds be used to address research priorities that are established and reviewed annually by a statewide Health Research Advisory Committee, chaired by the Secretary of Health. The five grants that are being awarded during state fiscal year 2005-2006, which total $18.6 million, include:

-- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, in partnership with Geisinger Health System, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania, will receive $4.15 million to create a statewide, collaborative research network to develop and test effective treatments for reducing adolescent obesity and related diseases in underserved populations. In addition, the network will develop a research training program for minority students and faculty. -- Temple University, in collaboration with Bloomsburg University, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Geisinger Medical Center and Insight Telehealth, will receive $4.15 million to test an Internet-based telemedicine system to determine if the system can, through self-monitoring, education, a supervised chat room, bulletin boards and e-mail, help overweight and obese individuals improve weight loss and insulin sensitivity. -- Thomas Jefferson University, in partnership with Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc., Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Beckman Coulter and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, will receive $4.15 million to conduct research on biomarkers that protect against obesity-related diseases in order to advance treatments and to reduce racial disparities. -- The University of Pennsylvania, together with the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, and with assistance from Independence Blue Cross, will receive $2 million to develop a model for improved treatment of obesity in adults. The research will evaluate the effectiveness of a state-of-the-art weight loss program that is adapted for delivery in primary care settings and which includes assistance with stress management as a possible aid to weight loss. This study will focus on African Americans and Latinos. -- The University of Pittsburgh, in collaboration with Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Cook MyoSite, Inc., The Hill House, and The Kingsley Association will receive $4.15 million to examine new metabolic concepts regarding causes for severe obesity, looking at factors regulating energy metabolism and burning fat. Severely obese participants will also receive an intervention to reduce weight and increase activity, and the impact on health and quality of life will be carefully examined.

The grants are awarded as part of the Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Program, which support clinical, health services, and biomedical research.

Governor Rendell recently unveiled his plan to strengthen Pennsylvania's use of research funding through the Jonas Salk Legacy Fund, Accelerating Medical Research in Pennsylvania. The Jonas Salk Legacy Fund, a $500 million initiative, will provide matching grants to the state's leading bioscience researchers in academia and industry, meaning as much as $1 billion will be available to accelerate breakthrough research in Pennsylvania-based laboratories to treat, cure and prevent the most serious and life-threatening diseases.

More information on the use of tobacco settlement monies can be found at the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Web site for health research grants program at http://www.health.state.pa.us/cure.

CONTACT: Richard McGarvey or Troy Thompson, Pennsylvania Department of Health, +1-717-787-1783.

Pennsylvania Department of Health

CONTACT: Richard McGarvey or Troy Thompson, Pennsylvania Department ofHealth, +1-717-787-1783

Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/http://www.health.state.pa.us/cure

Source: PRNewswire

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