The Alabama Life Research Institute (ALRI) has partnered closely with Alabama SafeState, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), and rural communities to better understand and improve housing conditions across rural Alabama. While the national housing crisis has received significant attention—particularly in urban areas—rural housing issues have often been overlooked. Yet many parts of rural…
Alabama has one of the highest rates of hypertension in the nation, ranking 47th overall. Approximately 42.7% of the population has been diagnosed with high blood pressure—10 percentage points higher than the national average. The West Alabama Cardiac Health (WACH) program operates in nine counties with the goal of improving cardiovascular health and reducing rates…
When one of our community partners experienced significant budget cuts that threatened the Greene County Housing Authority’s summer enrichment program in Eutaw, ALRI and Oakwood University stepped in to support it. Compared to other Alabama counties, Greene County ranks last on nine indicators of child well-being. Factors such as poverty, high school dropout rates, and…
Heart health is especially important during pregnancy due to the significant increase in blood volume and hormonal changes. Pregnancy places added stress on all major organs—particularly the heart. Two common cardiovascular-related complications during pregnancy are pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. Alarming data from a recent study (Chen et al., 2025) shows that Alabama has the highest…
Undergraduate and master’s students are deeply involved in the work of the Alabama Life Research Institute (ALRI). Over the past year, we have hosted more than 25 students who conducted over 10 research projects spanning multiple disciplines, including biological sciences, neuroscience, human learning, and community health. Project topics included stroke, aphasia, environmental stressors, aging and…
The Alabama Life Research Institute, in collaboration with Eye Center South in Dothan, hosted two week-long neuroscience camps, one for middle school students and another for high school students. Dr. Sharlene Newman, executive director of ALRI and a native of the Wiregrass region, led the initiative to provide a unique learning opportunity she didn’t have…
