A St. Louis-based research organization is beginning an effort aimed at preventing the leading causes of death in Hispanics in both the U.S. and Latin America.

The Prevention Research Center is a collaboration between Washington University and Saint Louis University. The center will conduct a four-year, $2.8 million effort to come up with strategies to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil.

The research will look at ways to promote physical activity. The research is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.