USM American Indian Research Center Director Honored by National Indian Health Board
Tue, 10/18/2022 - 10:59am | By: Danny Holland
Dr. Tammy Greer, director of the Center for American Indian Research and Studies (CAIRS)
at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical
Research Excellence (INBRE) Telenutrition Center Investigator, was recently presented
the Area/Regional Impact Award by the National Indian Health Board at the 39th annual National Tribal Health Conference held in Washington, D.C.
The award pays tribute to an individual or organization whose work has contributed to improving American Indian/Alaska Native health care or has positively affected change on an area or regional basis. A member of the United Houma Nation of South Louisiana, Dr. Greer was recognized for her work to improve health disparities in the Mississippi and Louisiana American Indian community through her research efforts at the Mississippi INBRE Telenutrition Center and CAIRS, both housed on USM’s Hattiesburg campus.
Teaming up with Telenutrition Center Director Dr. Jennifer Lemacks, Dr. Greer’s research explores culturally adapted programs to improve lifestyle factors among tribal nations. Some of her many accomplishments include the development of CAIRS, multiple research projects and the establishment of the Medicine Wheel Garden on the USM Hattiesburg campus.
“I’m very honored to have received this award from The National Indian Health Board,” said Dr. Greer, who is also an associate professor in the USM School of Psychology. “The health disparities work we are doing is far from over but working with Tribal Nations of the Southeast has informed us, challenged us, and built community in ways we would have never imagined. We are humbled, honored and feel privileged to be doing this work.”
Mississippi INBRE is a network of colleges and universities, designed to build a biomedical research infrastructure in Mississippi. Our mission is to reach out to Mississippians to improve health throughout the state and to engage talented researchers and students in biomedical research projects that will increase the state’s research competitiveness.
CAIRS facilitates partnerships between the faculty of Southern Miss and regional tribal governments in order to better serve the needs of the American Indian people in Mississippi.