The vision of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) Research Enterprise is to be a leading national resource for conducting clinical and translational research that produces high-quality, cost-effective and culturally relevant solutions that improve health and wellness in minority and poor populations. By promoting strategies that create synergy in research teams and between investigators and the community, CDU creates novel best practice solutions to transform the health of underserved communities that can be used as innovative models throughout the nation and the world.
CDU’s Research Enterprise includes a wide range of Research Centers and Research Institutes. These include:
Center to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities
Established through the Division of Cancer Research and Training in 2009 through a grant from the National Institute of Health. Numerous research projects are currently being conducted by the Center’s faculty and staff, including basic laboratory research, community outreach and engagement and clinical trials activities.
Administrative Contact: Jacob De La Torre
Email: jacobdelatorre@cdrewu.edu
Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science
The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science proposes to continue the enhancement and success of the Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science (AXIS) Center. AXIS has shown to be the integrated hub for research conducted at CDU and continues to provide experienced leadership, and a myriad of clinical, translational, and community partnered activities.
Administrative Contact: Jacob De La Torre
Email: jacobdelatorre@cdrewu.edu
Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)
UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute is a dynamic partnership of four institutions: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and the UCLA-Westwood Medical Center. Its mission is to bring UCLA innovations to bear on the greatest health needs of Los Angeles and the nation.
Administrative Contact: Gregory Turner
Email: gregoryturner@cdrewu.edu
Center for Biomedical Informatics
The Center for Biomedical Informatics at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was established in 2007 to strengthen CDU’s research, educational, and service capacity in the area of biomedical informatics. Biomedical Informatics is a multi-disciplinary field that studies how biomedical data, information, and knowledge can be acquired, stored, communicated, and transformed to produce insights that improve human health. A goal of the Center is to reduce health disparities by providing informatics solutions to problems that affect medically underserved and under-resourced communities. Faculty members at the Center have backgrounds in computer science, clinical medicine, sociology, and public health.
Administrative Contact: Gregory Turner
Email: gregoryturner@cdrewu.edu
Urban Health Institute
UHI supports the CDU’s research infrastructure in its efforts to address pressing health issues and disparities in minority populations. We do this by providing support to the CDU research faculty and community.
Director: Caroline Farodolu
Email: carolinefarodolu@cdrewu.edu
Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence
The goal of BMHCE is to improve birth outcomes for Black birthing people in Los Angeles County, and address the structural racism, specifically anti-black racism, at the root of the birth disparities gap through Innovation, Research and Training. BMHCE brings a maternal health center in partnership with Black and POC community midwives to the resources of the Activated Village model and houses them both in an academic home.
Administrative Contact: Shanelle Bailey
Email: shanellebailey1@cdrewu.edu
UCLA-CDU CFAR
The Mission of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)-Charles Drew University (CDU) CFAR is to stop HIV in Los Angeles County and beyond through engaging diverse researchers with multidisciplinary perspectives. The UCLA-CDU CFAR will strengthen and amplify the impact of existing research activities and launch new partnerships across Los Angeles and globally through our focus on three themes:
We will STOP HIV by:
- Preventing new HIV infections (Prevention).
- reducing morbidity among people living with HIV (Treatment).
- Developing strategies for eradication (ART-free Remission).
Administrative Contact: Andrea Jones
Email: andreajones@cdrewu.edu
At CDU, we are driven by a vision to lead in clinical and translational research, offering culturally relevant solutions that enhance health and wellness in underserved communities. Through collaboration, innovation, and community engagement, we’re pioneering best practices that transcend boundaries and reflect our commitment to advancing knowledge that makes a profound impact on healthcare disparities. Join us in our mission to transform health outcomes and foster a brighter, healthier future for all.