RCMI-Center for Environmental Health

简介（由申请人提供）：自1998年成立以来，CEH已发展成为生物医学研究的“卓越中心”。根据卡耐基分类，它对最近杰克逊州立大学（JSU）被指定为“高研究活动”机构做出了重大贡献。其长期目标是提供科学基础设施，以支持研究，解决脆弱和服务不足社区关注的重要环境和公共卫生问题。因此，这项RCMI应用的总体目标是发展更全面的基础设施，以加强JSU开展环境健康和健康差异研究的能力。为此，我们提出以下具体目标：(1)加强开展环境卫生和卫生差异研究的能力。为实现这一目标，将招募和指导两名在癌症生物学和分子遗传学方面具有学术准备和研究培训的早期研究人员，以及一名协助生物医学研究实施的研究助理；(2)进一步加强开展前沿环境健康和健康差异研究的环境。为了实现这一目标，我们建议：a)通过在生物统计支持单元中增加生物信息学组件来重组我们的多用户核心实验室，并升级动物，分析，分子和细胞生物学以及分子磁共振核心；b)提供主要研究仪器的使用和专业设备使用的培训；c)实施标准操作程序和政策；d)监测设施利用率和核心生产力；(3)提高教师的整体研究效率。我们建议通过实施相关的职业发展活动来实现这一目标，包括指导、科学咨询、作品集开发、艺术和科学写作讲习班、研讨会和会议的参与、生物医学研究的发布时间以及及时评估进展；(4)促进T1和T2转化研究的机会。我们建议继续加强和扩大CEH活动，通过与JSU和其他大学的其他nih资助的中心和项目的正式互动，支持机构内和机构间的研究合作。我们还计划将CEH活动纳入RTRN，以加强与其他RCMI中心以及其他高等院校和国家实验室的联系；(5)增加研究解决环境健康和健康差异问题的调查人员人数。我们建议制定并实施一项试点项目计划（PPP），提供资金支持，以刺激创新的、假设驱动的生物医学研究，这些研究将有助于科学进步和发现与健康差异相关的疾病的预防和治疗。因此，RCMI-CEH建议制定并实施一项新计划，使其生物医学研究基础设施现代化，并为能力建设奠定坚实的基础，从而提高JSU在NIH资助的主流环境健康和健康差异项目中的竞争力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Since its inception in 1998, CEH has evolved as a "Center of Excellence" in biomedical research. It has significantly contributed to the recent designation of Jackson State University (JSU) as a "high research activity" institution, according to the Carnegie classification. Its long-term objective is to provide a scientific infrastructure t support research that addresses important environmental and public health issues of concern to vulnerable and underserved communities. Hence, the overarching goal of this RCMI application is the development of a more comprehensive infrastructure to strengthen the capacity to conduct environmental health and health disparities research at JSU. Toward that end, we propose the following specific aims: (1) To strengthen the capacity to conduct environmental health and health disparities research. This aim will be addressed by recruiting and mentoring two early stage investigators who possess academic preparation and research training in cancer biology, and molecular genetics, and a research associate to assist in the biomedical research implementation; (2) To further enhance the environment for conducting cutting-edge environmental health and health disparities research. To achieve this aim we propose to: a) re-structure our multiuser core laboratories by adding a Bioinformatics component to the Biostatistical Support Unit, and upgrading the Animal, Analytical, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Molecular Magnetic Resonance cores, b) provide access to major research instrumentation and training on the use of specialized equipment, c) implement standard operating procedures and policies, and d) monitor facilities utilization and core productivity; (3) To increase the overall research productivity of faculty. We propose to address this aim through implementation of relevant career development activities, including mentoring, scientific advising, portfolio development, granstmanship and scientific writing workshops, seminars and conferences participation, release time for biomedical research, and timely assessment of progress; (4) To foster opportunities for T1 and T2 translational research. We propose to continue to strengthen and expand CEH activities in support of intra- and inter-institutional research collaborations through formal interactions with other NIH-funded centers and programs at JSU and at other universities. We also plan to integrate CEH activities into the RTRN to increase tights with other RCMI centers, as well as other institutions of higher learning and national laboratories; (5) To increase the number of investigators conducting research in addressing environmental health and health disparities issues. We propose to develop and implement a Pilot Project Program (PPP) to provide financial support to stimulate innovative, hypothesis-driven biomedical research that will contribute to scientific advances and discoveries for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with health disparities. Hence, the RCMI-CEH proposes to develop and implement a new plan to modernize its biomedical research infrastructure, and to establish a strong foundation for capacity building that would increase the competitiveness of JSU into mainstream environmental health and health disparities programs funded by the NIH.