North Carolina Central University

Advanced Center for COVID-19-Related Disparities (ACCORD) Project 1: Facilitate COVID-19 Testing (Anson, Cabarrus, Durham, Granville, Halifax, Rowan, and Vance Counties, NC)
Lead Researcher: Deepak Kumar, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $306,254

This project facilitated COVID-19 testing and study the impact of COVID-19 in underserved communities in medically underserved areas of NC.  The project will focus on seven counties.

Advanced Center for COVID-19-Related Disparities (ACCORD) Project 2: Development and Dissemination of Culturally Sensitive Messaging on COVID-19 to Medically Underserved Populations
Lead Researcher: Deepak Kumar, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $100,000

This project leveraged two existing programs to develop materials for COVID-19 messaging in partnership with faith-based organizations.

Advanced Center for COVID-19-Related Disparities (ACCORD) Project 3: COVID-19 Seroprevalence Testing for NCCU Community (Faculty, Staff, and Students)
Lead Researcher: Deepak Kumar, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $217,000

This project established a program for testing of faculty, staff and students.

COVID-19 Impacts on Community-Based Interventions for Justice-Involved Minority Young Adults: Practitioner and Consumer Perspectives
Lead Researcher: Jonathan Glenn, Juvenile Justice Institute 
Budget: $8,525

This project utilized focus groups of young adults that have been involved with the justice system to identify the impacts of the pandemic on this population subset.

The Pandemic of Stress: Examining the Relations among Occupational Status, Perceived Stress, Self-Rated Health, and Sleep during COVID-19
Lead Researcher: Tanisha Burford, Psychology
Budget: $10,622

This project examined the effects of perceived stress among essential and non-essential workers and the impact of the pandemic.

Contact Tracing for COVID-19: Acceptability and Barriers in African American Communities
Lead Researcher: Irene Doherty, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $12,040

This project investigated the barriers and challenges to conducting contract tracing in African-American communities.

COVID-19: Impact on Black Families
Lead Researcher: Nina Smith, Human Sciences
Budget: $8,500

This project conducted a health assessment of African Americans living in rural and urban areas throughout North Carolina.

Stress, Coping, Perceptions, and Professional Outlook of HBCU Nursing Students Related to COVID-19
Lead Researcher: Elizabeth Tomlinson, Nursing
Budget: $13,000

This project measured the stress and impacts of the pandemic on nursing students at NCCU.

The Role of Food Security in the Social Determinants of Health: Contingent Impacts of COVID-19 in North Carolina
Lead Researcher: Christopher Paul, Public Administration
Budget: $65,606

This project evaluated food security issues facing families and communities and the impacts of the pandemic.

Development of a Conjugate Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2
Lead Researcher: Nathan Wymer, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Budget: $75,000

This project optimized research methods related to the development of vaccines.

Drug Repurposing for COVID-19 Using Data Mining and Machine Learning Technologies
Lead Researcher: Weifan Zheng, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $53,000

This project utilized computational models to assess drug development options.

Acceptability and Barriers to COVID-19 Testing, Tracing, and Immunization Among African American Students and Residents of Low-Income Communities
Lead Researcher: Brittany Baker, Nursing
Budget: $28,790

This project investigated the challenges of contact tracing at the university level.

Experiences of African American Caregivers of Children with Autism: Rurality and Resources during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Lead Researcher: Danai Fannin, Communications Disorders
This project identified challenges facing those families with children with autism and the impacts of the pandemic.

Budget: $31,263

Global Supply Chain of Medical Equipment: Vulnerability Assessment, Emergency Response Tool, and Financial Impact Analysis
Lead Researcher: Kayvan Lavassani, School of Business
Budget: $30,000

This project assessed the global supply chain of medical equipment and the impacts of the pandemic. 

Field-Ready Genetic Coronavirus Test for use in Low-Resource Underserved Populations
Lead Researcher: John Moore, Chambers Biomedical Biotech Research Institute
Budget: $40,400

This project explored options for testing in underserved populations.