Research

On average, Black persons appear to age prematurely, live sicker, and die earlier than the overall population. We aim to understand how stress leads to premature aging and what can be done to halt and reverse this trend. More specifically, we study how social factors (e.g., racialization, financial status, and social support) and structural factors (e.g., residential segregation, generational poverty, and governmental policies) impact the physiology of Black persons, and why they affect some individuals more than others. We are particularly interested in the effects of stress on aging outcomes, such as cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease, and how accelerated biological aging impacts this relationship. Further, we explore these research areas from a strengths-based rather than deficit-based approach: Black communities have already developed coping mechanisms that extend lifespan beyond what is predicted. We believe that if we can understand these coping mechanisms and utilize them as interventions, we can create better health for all Black populations.