Saturday, May 10, 2025
5/10/2025
Environmental Exposures, Host Factors and Human Disease - OVERALL: PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The mission of the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center (SCEHSC) is to develop the scientific knowledge base, investigator teams, and community engagement needed to reduce the burden of diseases and disability from environmental impacts. The SCEHSC explores the effects of environmental exposures across the lifecourse with an emphasis on susceptible populations, critical developmental periods, and major diseases which are mediated through shared molecular and biological pathways. The SCEHSC’s theme is Environmental Exposures, Host Factors and Human Disease across the Lifecourse. Scientifically, the SCEHSC is organized around six Environmental Health Research Programs: two Methods Research Programs (Exposure Sciences; Biostatistics & Data Science) and four Health Outcomes Research Programs (Cardiorespiratory; Neurological; Obesity & Metabolic; Cancer). The Research Programs are led by collaborative multidisciplinary teams and supported by the SCEHSC’s Administrative and three Facility Cores. The Community Engagement Core promotes multidirectional science communication with community partners and the public. The SCEHSC fosters innovative research in environmental health sciences (EHS) using the Pilot Projects Program, state-of-the-art Facility Cores, and collaborative mechanisms including seminar series, workshops and symposia, working groups, retreats, and career development activities. Over the past 24 years, the SCEHSC has functioned as an integrated program of research excellence. We have a strong research base in EHS as demonstrated by ongoing peer-reviewed research projects. Our EHS identity has been further distinguished by our success in bringing together multidisciplinary research teams tackling compelling and complex issues in EHS, attracting new and accomplished investigators to EHS, and fostering new lines of research. The SCEHSC is a national leader in community engagement, improving environmental health literacy and employing innovative approaches for community involvement and multi-directionally communicating EHS research results. This engagement with community organizations, policymakers, the public health community, social and traditional media, and the general public has a proven track record of fostering solutions-oriented and sustainable policy. In the renewal period, we propose to build on these approaches to promote cutting-edge science, translational research, and community engagement, and to develop the next generation of EHS leaders. The SCEHSC’s mission, theme, structure, goals, strategic approaches, and future directions will contribute to advancing many elements of the NIEHS Strategic Plan. The broad spectrum of expertise among our diverse membership’s strong track record in collaborative multidisciplinary research, career development, and solutions-oriented community engagement position the SCEHSC to effectively address today’s critical problems and tomorrow’s emerging EHS challenges.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).