Herman A. Taylor, Jr.
MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA
Shirley Professor for the Study of Health Disparities
Principal Investigator
Jackson Heart Study
University of Mississippi Medical Center

Dr. Herman Taylor is Professor of Medicine and Attending Physician in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, UMMC; Visiting Professor of Biology in the Division of Natural Sciences at Tougaloo College; and Clinical Professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Jackson State University.  He is a Fellow in the American College of Cardiology and in the American Heart Association.  Dr. Taylor holds the Aaron Shirley Endowed Chair for the Study of Health Disparities at UMMC.  Dr. Taylor is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Minority Access Role Model Award and the Herbert W. Nickens Award for Excellence in Epidemiological Research in 2004.  Dr. Taylor joined the UMMC faculty and became PI and Director of the JHS in June 1998.  Prior to that time, he held Associate and Assistant Professor positions in the School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham and as Attending Physician in Cardiology at the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital and at the Birmingham Veterans Administration Medical Center.  Dr. Taylor earned his M.D. degree at Harvard Medical School; he also earned a Masters of Public Health degree from Harvard School of Public Heath.  Dr. Taylor has cultivated and fostered a unique partnership among the JHS, the participating colleges/universities, the sponsoring NIH Institutes and the community. He envisions helping to create a better understanding of CVD among African Americans as a guide to effective strategies to improve health and eliminate health disparities.

Director’s Council
The Directors’ Council (DC), chaired by the PI/Director, acts as an Executive Committee of the JHS.  It is comprised of the Associate Directors, the NHLBI Field Site Officer, the Chief Science Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer. The DC meets weekly on Wednesdays, or more frequently if deemed necessary by JHS PI/Director, to discuss issues related to the overall operations and performance of the study. The DC is primarily responsible for the implementation and monitoring of scientific and operational plans to ensure the scientific productivity of the Study.