Kettering Lab Renovation to enhance PHS-supported environmental health research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Department of Environmental Health at the University of Cincinnati is a world leader in environmental and occupational health, with over $22M in external research in 2008. The building that houses this department is showing its age, with one wing already beyond repair. This project will renovate the 3rd floor Kehoe wing and Atrium space of Kettering Lab, to improve research facilities, and meet the following specific aims: 1. Contribute to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with a "shovel ready" renovation project, which will establish the equivalent of full-time employment for 30 new construction-related positions each year of the project duration-estimated at 24 months. Completion of this work will expand our research capacity to accommodate up to twelve (12) new faculty positions and 60 - 80 support personnel, beyond the construction phase. 2. Renovate the of the 3rd floor Kehoe wing of Kettering Lab (8,910 gross square feet), and transform the under-utilized atrium into useful interdisciplinary research space (4,355 gross square feet), which will meet the physical needs of modern, trans-disciplinary research, with optimization of energy performance, improve energy efficiency, maintenance, and operations to extend the life of Kettering Lab for several decades. 3. Provide a research and training platform as a basis for Comparative Effective Research based on our successful mentoring and training programs, with a focus on epigenetic contributions to human disease. 4. Increase our ability to recruit exemplary scientists to the Ohio-Kentucky region by increasing our allure-to new faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate students. 5. Develop a physical home for transdisciplinary research in a yet-to-be-established Center for Epigenetic Epidemiology, which will house expertise in basic toxicology, computational modeling, bioinformatics, epidemiology, biostatistics, and community based participatory research. This team will focus on understanding how epigenetics links the environment to disease susceptibility in populations, translate research findings to the community, and increase scientific capital. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): The UC Department of Environmental Health is requesting funds to renovate and transform our research space from outdated facilities to modern areas that will bring together scientists from different disciplines. This will increase cooperation among our scientists, help us recruit high-caliber people to the Ohio- Kentucky region, and create an area where we can connect scientists with the community. These improvements will also reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprint.