Vermont Center on Behavior and Health

This is a revised application for support to establish a Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Behavior and Health at the University of Vermont (UVM). The proposed center will investigate relationships between personal behaviors and risk for chronic disease and premature death. Unhealthy personal behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, physical inactivity) account for 40% of premature deaths in the U.S. annually and substantially increase healthcare costs. The proposed center will focus on developing and evaluating clinical interventions for these risk behaviors and examine mechanisms underpinning vulnerability to them using a behavioral economic conceptual framework. This effort will involve key interdisciplinary collaborations (a) across multiple departments and colleges within UVM, (b) with key Vermont community healthcare leaders, and (c) with scientific experts from other universities, including three from IDeA states (Brown University, and University of Kentucky).