Kessler Foundation Scientist Awarded Prestigious Federal Grant for Novel, Mixed-Method Study on Latinos with Multiple Sclerosis

Researcher Cristina A. F. Román, PhD, to examine barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and accelerated brain aging in minoritized group

East Hanover, NJ – January 12, 2024 –A research scientist at Kessler Foundation has been awarded a highly competitive Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This $704,054, five-year grant will support one of the first mixed-methods studies aimed at examining barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and accelerated brain aging in Latinos with multiple sclerosis (MS). The Principal Investigator and grant recipient, Cristina A. F. Román, PhD, is currently a research scientist in the Foundation’s Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center.

Though there is a paucity of research focusing on Latinos with MS, there is evidence that this group experiences more severe disease trajectories and worse functional outcomes than their non-Latino counterparts. “These disparities are believed to be strongly influenced by social determinants of health, particularly factors related to healthcare access,” explained Dr. Román, adding, “Timely intervention and consistent, ongoing medical care are crucial for improving MS prognosis, especially in historically minoritized groups that face greater health disparities.”

Studies show that Latinos  encounter greater obstacles in accessing equitable healthcare, which not only contributes to poorer MS outcomes, but also increases the risk of comorbid medical conditions such as cardiovascular risk factors. These risk factors disproportionately impact both individuals with MS and Latino populations residing in the United States and can contribute to neurodegeneration (e.g., advanced brain aging). “This means that Latinos with MS are at especially high risk for the compounding effects of barriers to healthcare, cardiovascular risk factors, and MS, yet the extent to which these factors interact to impact MS-related outcomes, especially brain aging, remains unknown,” noted Dr. Román.

“The findings from our work will have direct implications for early intervention strategies, focusing on improving healthcare access and quality. Additionally, our research will significantly contribute to filling a substantial gap in our understanding of how societal and systemic factors (i.e., social determinants of health) influence brain health and health disparities in neurological disorders,” she concluded.

Funding: National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIH) 1K23MDO19232-01A0.

About the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation's premiere medical research agency. NIMHD's work touches the lives of millions of Americans burdened by disparities in health status and health care delivery, including racial and ethnic minority groups, rural populations, populations with low socioeconomic status, and other population groups. For more information, visit NIMHD.gov.

About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research. Our scientists seek to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for adults and children with neurological and developmental disabilities of the brain and spinal cord including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and autism. Kessler Foundation also leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities.