The need to understand the sources of persistent health disparities in overall longevity, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease has led to the development of the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study. By posing fundamental questions about differences in rates and risks for pathological conditions associated with aging, we hope to disentangle the relationship between race, socioeconomic status, and health outcomes. Among the questions we will address are: What are the independent influences of socioeconomic status and race on normal age-related changes in function? What are the independent influences of socioeconomic status and race on the incidence of age-related diseases? What are the influences on the natural history of common age-related diseases? How do socioeconomic status and race contribute to health disparities? Are there early biomarkers of age-related health disparities that may enhance our ability to prevent or ameliorate the severity of these diseases? In order to address these questions in the appropriate populations, we have established a new paradigm by using mobile medical research vehicles. These vehicles serve as community-based platforms for clinical research. The mobile medical research vehicles are tools for creating effective methods for recruiting and retaining non-traditional research participants into age-related clinical research.