Novel Methods to Assess the Effects of Chemicals on Child Development

描述（由申请人提供） 该儿童中心的主要目标是使用多学科方法来解决我们对接触内分泌干扰化学品（邻苯二甲酸酯/BPA）对儿童发育影响的知识中的关键差距，积极让初级研究人员参与这项研究工作，并积极将我们的研究结果传达给父母，儿童保育提供者和医疗保健提供者。有三个共同的主题，团结三个研究项目和该中心的外展和翻译核心（COTC）：（1）评估暴露在两个关键的发展窗口（产前和青少年），（2）调查邻苯二甲酸酯/双酚A暴露和高脂肪饮食/肥胖的联合影响，和（3）调查的作用， 氧化应激和炎症的介导作用。研究工作的核心将是 两个人类队列（项目1）-一个前瞻性出生前队列目前正在伊利诺伊州厄巴纳进行，另一个青少年队列将作为马萨诸塞州新贝德福德长期前瞻性研究的一部分进行评估。该中心还将包括实验室动物项目（项目2和3），这些项目将模拟这些人类队列的暴露时间，COTC和该管理核心将提供所有中心相关活动的监督，协调和整合。行政核心的职责将包括组织和安排内部咨询委员会的月度会议和中心研究人员的月度研究小组会议，组织中心科学家与六名成员外部咨询委员会的年度会议，协调中心的职业发展活动，促进儿科健康专家与COTC的互动，将研究结果传达给医疗保健界。作为儿童中心的主任和副主任，Susan Schantz博士和Jodi Flaws博士将负责召开内部和外部咨询委员会会议，并定期评估每个项目的研究进展以及COTC的外联活动。他们还将负责中心的一般财政监督。在尚茨博士缺席的情况下弗洛斯博士将有全权做决定。 相关性：邻苯二甲酸酯和BPA是在许多消费品中发现的内分泌干扰化学品。接触是普遍的，但这种接触对儿童健康和发育的影响还没有得到很好的理解。该中心的研究将通过调查这些化学物质单独或与高脂肪饮食结合对生殖和神经发育的影响，填补我们知识中的一个重要空白。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) The primary goals of this Children's Center are to use a multidisciplinary approach to address critical gaps in our knowledge about the impact of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (phthalates/BPA) on child development, to actively involve junior investigators in this research effort, and to actively communicate our research findings to parents, childcare providers and healthcare providers. There are three common themes that unite the three research projects and the Outreach and Translation Core (COTC) of this Center: (1) assessment of exposures during two critical developmental windows (prenatal and adolescent), (2) investigation of joint effects of phthalate/BPA exposure and a high fat diet/obesity, and (3) investigation of the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in mediating effects. At the heart of the research effort will be two human cohorts (Project 1)-a prospective pre-birth cohort currently in progress in Urbana, Illinois and an adolescent cohort to be assessed as part of a long-standing prospective study in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The Center will also include laboratory animal projects (Projects 2 and 3) which will model the timing of exposures in these human cohorts, a COTC, and this administrative core which will provide oversight, coordination and integration of all Center-related activities. The responsibilities of the Administrative Core will include organizing and scheduling monthly meetings of the Internal Advisory Committee and monthly research team meetings of the Center investigators, organizing yearly meetings of the Center scientists with the six-member External Advisory Committee, coordinating the career development activities of the Center, and facilitating interactions of the Pediatric Health Specialist with the COTC to communicate research findings to the healthcare community. As Director and Associate Director of the Children's Center, Drs. Susan Schantz and Jodi Flaws will be responsible for conducting Internal and External Advisory Committee meetings and regularly evaluating the research progress of each of the projects, as well as the outreach activities of the COTC. They will also be responsible for general fiscal oversight of the Center. Dr. Flaws will have full authority to make decisions in Dr. Schantz's absence. Relevance: Phthalates and BPA are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are found in many consumer products. Exposure is widespread, but the impact of this exposure on child health and development is not well-understood. This Center's research will fill an important gap in our knowledge by investigating the effects of these chemicals, both alone and combination with a high fat diet on reproductive and neural development.