Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola had one mission when he was tapped to be the founding director of the UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2005.

“We know disparities have existed forever,” he told colleagues back then. “The question is, ‘What to do about it? How can we address them, and solve them?’ ”

He recruited experts from Harvard, UC Davis, the nonprofit research organization RAND and other institutions to learn about the needs of underserved Californians. He quickly secured funding to turn research into programs and policies.

Twenty years after its founding, the center has become a national model for advancing health and mental health equity.

“I feel very positive, grateful and proud that over the years we have remained constant about our commitment and determination: To do whatever it takes to serve the underserved,” Aguilar-Gaxiola said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Creating a center to break down barriers

Aguilar-Gaxiola, who earned a medical degree in his native Mexico, came to the U.S. for advanced study in clinical-community psychology. He was conducting research and teaching at California State University, Fresno, when UC Davis recruited him in 2005.

Top leaders from the UC Davis School of Medicine asked about his dream job. Aguilar-Gaxiola didn’t hesitate: Establish a research center to reduce health disparities. He was struck that the U.S. spends more on health care than any other country, yet lacks equal access or better outcomes.

The center builds on UC Davis’ commitment to serve vulnerable populations. It provides critical research shared nationwide and trains nonprofit organizations in meaningful community engagement and trust-building. It develops partnerships to eliminate barriers to care.