Our Foundational Journey

At BaCHRI, our journey began with a deep commitment to addressing the hidden yet critical factor influencing health disparities: stress. Our founder, Dr. Uddoh, drawing from observations of financial stress as a determinant of health outcomes within familial and community settings, has dedicated years to uncovering the profound connection between stress and health disparities. She also participated in a research program under Dr. Andrew Weil, focusing on stress and its physiological effects.

  • Data Driven –We focus on identifying and analyzing stressors specific to Black communities, combining cutting-edge methodologies with lived experiences
  • Results Orientated – Our research directly translates into actionable solutions, empowering individuals and communities to mitigate the impacts of chronic stress
  • Research Led – By collaborating with faith organizations, healthcare professionals, and local leaders, we ensure our findings resonate and drive meaningful change

Stress is more than a personal burden; it’s a systemic issue tied to inequities at every level—personal, institutional, and societal. At BaCHRI, we aim to address these stressors with precision, empathy, and evidence-based interventions to improve lives and outcomes.

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Vision for the Future

Building a Transformative Path Through the Social Ecological Model

At BaCHRI, our vision for the future is rooted in creating systemic change by addressing health inequalities at every level of society. Guided by the Social Ecological Model, our approach ensures that no factor—be it individual or systemic—is overlooked as we strive to build healthier, more equitable communities.

  • Individual Level: Through innovative programs like our telemedicine initiatives, we aim to empower individuals with tools for better health management, addressing stress and other critical factors directly impacting their well-being
  • Relationship Level: We cultivate connections that matter, focusing on mentorship and community leadership development. By guiding youth in research methodologies and fostering strong support networks, we’re planting the seeds for the next generation of changemakers
  • Institutional Level: By partnering with universities, faith-based organizations, and healthcare institutions, we develop models that can be replicated in underserved communities, prisons, and refugee camps, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities
  • Community Level: Our groundbreaking “God’s Little World” simulation empowers communities to identify collective issues and create sustainable solutions. This immersive experience fosters collaboration, accountability, and real-world problem-solving
  • Policy Level: We leverage our research to create impactful white papers, propose actionable legislation, and produce data-driven insights to guide policymakers in making systemic changes.

BaCHRI envisions a future where research isn’t just about identifying problems but solving them—where data fuels action, and equity becomes the standard, not the exception.

Meet Our Founder

Dr. Marcia Uddoh: Visionary Leader in Health Equity and AI Innovation

About the Founder

Marcia E. I. Uddoh, PhD, MPH, MSCR, MSW — Founder & Principal Investigator

Marcia Uddoh is an AI/ML and community-engaged researcher focused on stress-driven cardiometabolic risk in Black adults. She leads SlimmAI-HRV, a translational decision-support platform that merges wearable HRV analytics, a 2-minute cognitive-flexibility task, and social-ecological stress data into a single, SHAP-explainable risk signal for preventive and restorative care. Her field practice spans U.S. safety-net settings and community work in Riverton City, Jamaica, anchoring the institute’s commitment to rigorous science that honors lived experience.

Scientific and leadership highlights

  • Principal Investigator and founder of Stress Vitals Institute; IRB and ethics oversight for SlimmAI-HRV studies.

  • Peer-reviewed outputs: PLOS Mental Health (accepted, 2025) on Black Catholic health; MLHC 2025 abstract accepted on SHAP-interpretable risk pathways.

  • Technical stack: Python/Jupyter, scikit-learn/XGBoost, TensorFlow, Kubios HRV; Mplus SEM/LPA; SHAP explainability and fairness monitoring.

  • Credentialed in HRV: BCIA-certified HRV biofeedback; training through NIH community-engaged research programs.

  • Grant readiness: Pending NIH AIM-AHEAD FAIR-MED application (SlimmAI-HRV) and prior multi-site community deployments; experienced in HIPAA-aligned telehealth workflows.

  • 20+ years curriculum design and community-based participatory research, including maternal-child health and faith-health partnerships.

Our Research Team (in brief)

An interdisciplinary group advancing equitable cardiovascular prevention:

  • Clinical partner: hospital-based cardiology advisors for protocol review and safety-net implementation.

  • AI & data systems: senior computer-science leadership at a public university; cloud engineers maintaining audited pipelines and privacy controls.

  • Biostatistics & methods: SEM/LPA, mixed-effects modeling, and explainable tree ensembles with continuous fairness metrics.

  • Community fellows: trained local technicians who staff HRV kiosks, collect high-quality data, and support participant follow-up.

  • Ethics & governance: independent reviewers for transparency, data minimization, and community feedback loops.

Call to action:
Want the full bio, recent abstracts, or a methods briefing? Visit Invite a Speaker to book a lecture or workshop on SlimmAI-HRV and Stress Vitals.

Marcia E. I. Uddoh, MD (candidate), PhD, MPH, MS, MSW
Marcia E. I. Uddoh, MD (candidate), PhD, MPH, MS, MSW Founder | Missionary
Dr. Uddoh is a trailblazer in advancing health equity for Black communities. With expertise spanning public health, neuroscience, and social work, she integrates cutting-edge research and community-driven solutions to confront systemic inequalities and inspire lasting change

“Health equity is not just a goal—it is our mission. Through data-driven research, community engagement, and faith-based initiatives, we empower Black communities to thrive and dismantle systemic barriers. Our work is a testament to the power of science, collaboration, and faith in transforming lives.”

MARCIA E. I. UDDOH, FOUNDER, BaCHRI
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Research

We conduct cutting-edge research to uncover systemic barriers to health equity, focusing on the Black community and Black Catholics.

READ LATEST RESEARCH

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Community

Our work begins with listening. Through direct engagement, we identify the needs and challenges faced by Black communities to guide impactful solutions.

ABOUT OUR APPROACH

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Analysis

We analyze complex data using advanced methodologies to reveal disparities and create actionable insights for systemic change.

DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS

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Impact

From education to policy, we turn research into action by partnering with communities, faith organizations, and institutions to promote change.

LEARN ABOUT OUR MPACT

Transform the Future

We are committed to advancing health equity for Black communities through groundbreaking research, actionable solutions, and unwavering advocacy.