Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) The theme that unites the research activities of the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC) is the need to understand the mechanisms by which exposures to environmental agents contribute to human disease. Identifying factors that contribute to human diseases that arise as a consequence of environmental exposures is a prerequisite for the development of strategies designed to minimize both the environmental exposure, and the adverse effects of such exposures. The SWEHSC is a dynamic organization that promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary research, with an emphasis on the detection and prevention of environmentally-mediated diseases. Members of the SWEHSC are organized into three Research Cores (RC) with overlapping spheres of interest; Mechanisms of Environmental Chemical Toxicity (RC1), Pulmonary Toxicology and Lung Disease (RC2), and Chemical-Chromatin Interactions (RC3). The Research Cores provide the scientific foundation that provides the basis for strategies designed to treat or prevent environmental diseases. The research efforts of SWEHSC are complemented by five Facility Cores (FC); Cellular Imaging, Genomics, Proteomics, Synthetic Chemistry, and Bioinformatics. The Facility Cores offer state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise to assist investigators in developing and utilizing cutting-edge technologies. The Administrative Core provides enrichment programs, including seminars, workshops, an annual Science Fair, newsletters, and supports the activities of the Internal and External Advisory Boards. The SWEHSC is also actively involved in promoting innovative research through the Pilot Project Program, and in the recruitment of new investigators. The Community Outreach and Education Program (COEP) offers environmental health science and toxicology based educational programs that are geared to students (K-12), health professionals, and the public. Through the COEP, the SWEHSC provides service to health organizations, government agencies, and the private sector. Three major inter-dependent goals will provide the focus for the next 5 years of support. The SWEHSC will (1) Facilitate the utilization and integration of" global" systems-centered toxicological approaches (proteomics, toxicogenomics, SNP's, cell and tissue imaging) to basic environmental health science research questions. (2) Facilitate the extension of basic research discoveries into the clinical and public health arenas. SWEHSC faculty, in collaboration with faculty in the Colleges of Public Health, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing, will focus in the general area of novel biomarkers (SNP's, proteins, protein adducts, etc) of susceptibility, particularly within minority populations (Hispanic, Native American). Emerging border health initiatives will play an integral role in developing these new areas of emphasis. (3) Initiate and expand collaborations with sister Centers of Excellence on the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center campus (e.g., Arizona Respiratory Center, The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, Arizona Cancer Center, Arizona Center on Aging, Steele Memorial Children's Research Center and the BIOS Institute). This last goal is synergistic with the objective of extending basic research discoveries into the clinical and public health arenas.