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Compretta directs new SEACHANGE Hub

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has been chosen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to lead a community-based research initiative under the direction of Dr. Caroline Compretta, MCCTR Community Engagement and Outreach Core Lead and assistant vice chancellor for research.

UMMC will oversee the Southeast Center for Health Achievement and Growth in Equity, also known as SEACHANGE, one of five new research hubs across the United States. The NIH Common Fund in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute has awarded $6.9 million over the next five years to support community-driven health research at SEACHANGE hubs.

Dr. Compretta, who serves as the principal investigator for SEACHANGE, is leading a collaborative effort involving MCCTR faculty members from seven universities across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama: UMMC, Mississippi State University, Tougaloo College, the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tulane University, and Louisiana State University.

SEACHANGE focuses on chronic diseases and their interconnected stages, examining risk factors, the progression of diseases, and their eventual complications. The initiative aims to address upstream causes and implement preventive strategies to reduce health disparities. The key to this effort is tackling structural factors such as access to education, healthcare, and social determinants that shape health outcomes and contribute to disparities in vulnerable communities.

The project also benefits from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team, including professionals from Tuskegee University, the Southern Poverty Law Center, North Carolina Central University, the University of Central Arkansas, Brown University, and the Mayo Clinic.

“We are building on the strong relationships and networks we’ve developed over the years,” said Dr. Compretta. “The SEACHANGE team is diverse and comprehensive, featuring specialists in research ethics, food studies, community engagement, and implementation science—all collaborating to address health disparities.”

The research hub will collaborate with the Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society Coordinating Center (ComPASS) to build research capacity and create sustainable intervention models for Community-Led Health Equity Structural Interventions (CHESIs).

Dr. Compretta highlighted the importance of community involvement in driving the research. “We cannot move the needle on health outcomes without community buy-in. Educating the public and incorporating community voices into the research process are critical for meaningful change,” she said.

For more information on SEACHANGE and ComPASS, click here.