Characterization, Dynamics, and Biological Impact of Indoor Airborne Dust Exposure

室内空气粉尘暴露的特征、动力学和生物影响历史黑人学院和大学-科学和工程研究基础设施(HBCU-RISE)计划支持历史黑人学院和大学发展研究能力，这些学院和大学提供科学和工程学科的博士学位。受资助的项目在国家科学基金会支持的一个研究领域有一个统一的研究重点，与东道国部门的长期计划、机构战略计划和使命直接相关，以及扩大机构研究能力的计划，以及增加博士生的产量，特别是那些在科学、技术、工程和数学方面代表性较低的学生。在国家科学基金会的支持下，德克萨斯南方大学将开展一个名为“室内空气中粉尘暴露的特征、动力学和生物影响”的研究项目。本研究集中于两个战略方向：(1)室内粉尘的收集、监测和与当地条件相关的化学/生物学特性；(2)模型原核生物和真核生物系统对室内粉尘胁迫的响应。这将成为开发统计模型的基础，该模型能够识别墨西哥湾沿岸地区典型地点的室内空气质量模式并预测趋势。这项研究还将有助于确定暴露在粉尘化学成分中是否会改变肺上皮细胞中促炎途径的表达。研究结果将对拟议的环境采样和监测任务所在的当地社区产生直接影响。研究成果还将促进目前对室外空气污染对室内空气质量和生物反应的贡献的理解。对地理区域的空气质量数据进行空间和时间分析对于环境和人类健康风险评估至关重要。该项目还旨在加强德克萨斯南方大学的环境毒理学博士项目。该计划将受益于(1)每年向四名博士生提供直接财政支持，(2)为研究生提供指导，以支持他们的课程准备、有效的教学和学习、撰写补助金和研究，(3)为本科生提供暑期实习，以促进基于研究的学习经验，并激励他们在STEM领域攻读更高的学位，以及(4)增强环境毒理学计划的课程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Characterization, Dynamics, and Biological Impact of Indoor Airborne Dust ExposureThe Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (HBCU-RISE) program supports the development of research capability at Historically Black Colleges and Universities that offer doctoral degrees in science and engineering disciplines. Supported projects have a unifying research focus in one of the research areas supported by the National Science Foundation, a direct connection to the long-term plans of the host department, institutional strategic plan and mission, and plans for expanding institutional research capacity, as well as increasing the production of doctoral students, especially those underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.With National Science Foundation support, Texas Southern University will conduct a research project entitled "Characterization, Dynamics, and Biological Impact of Indoor Airborne Dust Exposure". This research focuses on two strategic directions: (1) collection, monitoring and chemical/biological characterization of indoor dust in correlation with local conditions, and (2) responses of model prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems to stress induced by indoor dust. This will form the basis for developing a statistical model able to identify patterns and predict trends in indoor air quality for locations typical to the Gulf Coast region. This study will also assist in determining whether exposure to chemical components of dust alters the expression of pro-inflammatory pathways in lung epithelial cells.Research outcomes will have a direct impact on local communities where the proposed environmental sampling and monitoring tasks will take place. The research outcomes will also advance current understanding of the contribution of outdoor air pollution to indoor air quality and biological responses. Spatial and temporal analysis of air quality data in a geographical region is essential for environmental and human health risk assessment. This project also aims to strengthen the doctoral Environmental Toxicology program at Texas Southern University. The program will benefit from (1) direct financial support to four doctoral students per year, (2) mentoring for graduate students to support their course preparation, effective teaching and learning, grant writing, and research, (3) summer internships for undergraduate students to advance research-based learning experiences and motivate them to pursue advanced degrees in STEM fields, and (4) enhancement of the Environmental Toxicology program curriculum.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.