Federal Grant Award Summary

Wake Forest University Health Sciences received a $881,454 Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), awarded July 15, 2026, with completion expected March 31, 2031. The grant supports the SUPERHERO (Study of the Epidemiology of Pediatric Hypertension) Registry, which will establish standardized methods to harmonize and analyze longitudinal data from 45,000 youth across 12 clinical sites to examine the relationships between food insecurity, inadequate clinical care, and hypertension progression in youth populations.

The deliverables include: (1) development of validated data harmonization methodologies to integrate heterogeneous electronic health record data across multiple healthcare systems; (2) longitudinal epidemiologic analysis characterizing barriers to guideline-based hypertension care and healthy food access in youth; and (3) qualitative research synthesizing patient, caregiver, and healthcare provider perspectives to identify evidence-based strategies for overcoming these barriers. The research infrastructure and findings will support the long-term goal of designing multistage interventions targeting healthcare delivery barriers to improve clinical outcomes and cardiovascular health across the life course for youth with hypertension disorders.