Translational Research Training Program in Environmental Health Sciences

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This application is the first competing continuation of a T32 Institutional Training Grant in Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) entitled: “Translational Research Training Program in EHS” (T32-ES019851) at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). This training grant is the only dedicated mechanism to support formalized EHS research training at the pre- and post-doctoral level at Penn and meets a significant need based on trainee interest in the environment and its health impact and biomedical work force need. The mission of the T32 Training Program is to train the next generation of environmental health scientists in the mechanisms by which environmental exposures cause disease and to translate these findings into effective prevention and treatment and improvements in public health. The training program emphasizes the four pillars of translational research, bench, bedside, community and policy. The research training reflects the translational research themes of Penn's P30 Environmental Health Sciences Core Center, the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET). These themes have been dictated by the incidence of disease that have environmental etiology that affect the Philadelphia region, the physical location of Penn. Training is provided through course work from the Certificate Program in EHS which includes an optional Community Environmental Health Rotation, by conducting a full-time translational research project co- mentored where possible by a basic-scientist and clinician scientist to generate new knowledge in EHS. The 42 distinguished training grant faculty come from Penn and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and 14 are clinician scientists. The training grant supports common elements including a research club, a dedicated seminar series, an annual symposium dedicated to a translational research theme and optional externships at US EPA, ATSDR and the Silent Spring Institute for trainees interested in policy and human health assessment. The T32 award currently supports three predoctoral fellows to conduct dissertation research on an EHS topic and four postdoctoral fellows to perform mentored EHS research. Predoctoral trainees are supported for a total of three years (2nd year completion of the Certificate Program in EHS and two years dissertation research) and postdoctoral trainees are supported for up to two years. Trainees will be prepared for a suite of careers in the employment sector e.g. academia (in EHS, Pharmacology and Toxicology), government agencies (e.g. US- EPA, CDC, FDA, NTP, NIEHS); and industry (drug, food, cosmetic and nanotechnology). Fifteen trainees were supported in the first four years of this training program and published 41 papers; all the postdoctoral fellows that have left the program have assumed faculty positions. In the next cycle of funding we request an identical number of predoctoral (3) and postdoctoral slots (4).