Lake Erie Center for the Great Lakes and Human Health

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OVERALL: SUMMARY The Lake Erie Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) seeks five years of support from the Centers for Oceans and Human Health 3: Impacts of Climate Change on Oceans and Great Lakes program (COHH3) (P01). Support is requested for research, facilities operations and community engagement activities that build on academic and agency partnerships that have developed in the wake of the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis. Locating this COHH3 at BGSU reflects a leading role assumed by BGSU personnel studying the chronic cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (cHABs) of Lake Erie and complements significant ongoing investments made by BGSU. A COHH3 Lake Erie Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health will promote inter-institution collaboration to generate cutting-edge research toward identifying environmental drivers of cHABs and the effect of climate change on the proliferation and toxicity of bloom events and their impact on human health. This Center will shape the national research agenda; promote community engagement; and leverage strong institutional and agency support. Presently aligned as a multi-disciplinary research area in Lake Erie and Watershed Studies at BGSU, this effort seeks to formalize relations with affiliates active in cHAB research elsewhere. BGSU personnel were pressed into action to help lead the scientific response to the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis following contamination of Toledo's water supply by cHAB toxins. With the crisis still unfolding, BGSU coordinated with Center affiliates to study the bloom event and communicate issues related to the crisis to a concerned public. With the water crisis still receiving national attention, BGSU assumed the lead in organizing an international symposium held at BGSU in April 2015 which provided a forum to share ideas related to cHABs and their mitigation. BGSU also worked closely with federal legislators in the aftermath of the crisis to address issues of water quality in Lake Erie leading to the passing of H.R. 212, The Drinking Water Protection Act. The proposed research activities of Center affiliates are consistent with the goals and structure outlined for COHH3 with projects addressing human health effects of cHABs in the framework of climate change, toxin discovery and toxicity, enhanced monitoring/forecasting and community engagement. This application pursues four overarching goals: 1) Create an integrated, multi-disciplinary Center facilitating collaboration between biomedical scientists and limnologists; 2) Heighten the scientific influence, innovation, and productivity of Center affiliates; 3) Support development of Center affiliates including junior faculty; and 4) Energize cHAB science with new data and research tools. These goals will be accomplished through integration of projects and by supporting four complementary cores: Administrative, Research, Community Engagement, and Facilities. Center affiliates are providing national leadership, and our vision is to continue to foster an environment of innovation and collaboration that yields high impact research on cutting-edge issues related to climate change and its effect on cHABs and their impact on human health.