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Powering Public Health: HPDP researchers Receive CDC Special Interest Project Grants for Arthritis, Immunization, and Cancer Control

October 4, 2024

(from left to right) Drs. Leigh Callahan, Melissa Gilkey, Stephanie Wheeler, Alison Brenner, and Rachel Hirschey The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Special Interest Proje … Read more


Erik Willis Headshot

Dr. Erik Willis named as new Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group director

January 9, 2024

Dr. Erik Willis Dr. Erik Willis, PhD, has been promoted to Director of the Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Dr. Willis received his D … Read more


Smith and Erinosho receives FRAC grant to study barriers of access to nutritious food in early childcare centers

January 2, 2024

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) awarded Drs. Falon Smith, PhD, MS and Temitope Erinosho, PhD a grant to understand disparities in access to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and … Read more


Sad hispanic male high school student sharing bad news with classmates. Multiracial teenagers sitting in circle in class comfort depressed teen boy. Mental health and education concepts.

Murray receives $4 million to promote college readiness among high schoolers using mindfulness

December 18, 2023

Dr. Desiree W. Murray, PhD, has received a grant from the US Department of Education1 to test the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning (SEL) program, called Be CALM (Cool, At … Read more


Group of young women talking sitting in a circle

HPDP awards $5,000 planning grant to researcher studying early care and education needs in racially and ethnically minoritized communities

August 10, 2023

Dr. Falon Smith The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention has awarded to Dr. Falon Smith, MS, PhD, a planning grant of $5,000 to conduct a research project on early care and education … Read more


Willis Receives an R01 Grant to Assess the Accuracy of Wearable Devices to Measure Children’s Screen Time

February 2, 2023

Dr. Erik Willis, PhD, and his Observations for Wellness and Learning Lab have received an R01 grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to evaluate the accuracy of wearable devices in measurin … Read more


A top-down shot of six adolescents of diverse ethnicities all lay on a field of grass with their eyes closed.

Murray receives $2 million to enhance resilience among middle schoolers using mindfulness

December 8, 2022

Dr. Desiree W. Murray, PhD, has received a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)1 to adapt a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program, called Be CALM (Cool, Attentive, Logica … Read more


Two children using a laptop

Willis wins ACSM New Investigator Award and presents preliminary research on methods to measure children’s screen time

June 17, 2022

Erik Willis, PhD Erik Willis, PhD, a research scientist with the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP), is the recipient of a 2022 New Investigator Award from the American College … Read more


Sign that says UNC Mini Mart outside of a doorway where you can see the back of a woman who is entering the mini mart

Picture warnings on sodas? A promising tool to fight childhood obesity

February 4, 2022

The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) provides space and logistical support for a unique laboratory — the “UNC Mini Mart.” The Mini Mart is set up to mimic a convenience st … Read more


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HPDP’s Dianne Ward, EdD, named as one of the world’s top experts in child care research

November 23, 2021

Dianne Ward, EdD HPDP’s Dianne Ward, EdD, has been recognized as a “World Expert” in child care by Expertscape, a service that ranks the expertise of researchers in biomedical fields. She is among the … Read more