In Fall 2023, NIH awarded Emory researchers a $3.8 million grant to establish the Climate & Health Actionable Research Translation Center (CHART) to establish a center to study the impacts of extreme heat on health, and help develop action-oriented strategies to protect the health of individuals and communities. CHART aims to become a hub that will advance and translate research on climate risks to protect the health of under-resourced urban populations.

In its first year, CHART established a comprehensive infrastructure to support climate and health research, community engagement, and capacity building. The Administrative Core has been heavily engaged in establishing the administrative and scientific framework of the Center, ensuring that all teams are in place and that activities could start in alignment with its goals and milestones.

The Research Core compiled over 1.5 million emergency department records and identified increased heat-related health risks among patients on certain medications, with results shared at a major scientific conference. It also initiated a case-control study and prepared for community-based environmental monitoring.

The Community Engagement Core fostered strong local partnerships through its Partner Steering Committee, distributed community grants, completed a Group Model Building exercise, and engaged youth through internships and outreach materials.

The Research Capacity Building Core launched a widely attended clinical webinar series, awarded pilot research grants, and conducted a survey to identify priority training topics. Across all activities, CHART prioritized collaboration, community involvement, and knowledge translation, laying a solid foundation for expanded research and engagement in its second year.