Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Duke University's Office of Research Administration received a $547,650 Project Grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173), effective July 2, 2026, through June 30, 2031. The award funds research to define and model discourse-level language use impairments in right hemisphere stroke (RHD) survivors, a population representing approximately 80% of stroke survivors who experience disabling communication disorders that remain largely unrecognized and untreated. The research aims to comprehensively characterize and quantify discourse production patterns in RHD survivors compared to controls, with specific consideration of how race and sex mediate these language impairments.

The project will utilize RHDBank, an internationally shared multimedia database designed for studying RHD language impairments through discourse analysis, and RHDBank Grand Rounds, an accompanying online educational platform. Deliverables include the development of a predictive model of discourse production to differentiate RHD language use impairments from normal language use for clinical diagnostic purposes. This research addresses a significant gap in evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches for RHD-related communication disorders and is intended to establish a foundation for improved patient outcomes and quality of life for RHD survivors and their families.