By Jeff Javier, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy
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The SWEHSC study, led by Dr. Carletta Chief, includes an assessment of short-term exposure and risk perception among the Navajo after the devastating 2015 Gold King mine spill.
Arizouan University Southwest Center for Environmental Health Sciences
of Southwest Center for Environmental Health Sciences in the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy received $7.8 million for further research activities focused on environmental and health issues in the Southwest.
The Southwest Center for Environmental Health Sciences was established in 1994 and has since received ongoing funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The center advances environmental health research in his six colleges and 19 departments at the University of Arizona and has strong government support. Research, Innovation and Impact Department, University of Arizona Health Sciences, BIO5 LaboratoryCoit College of Pharmacy, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Medical College – Tucson and Faculty of Science.
manager of centre Nathan Cherrington He said 2.1 billion people in the world live in drylands similar to the Southwest. As climate change increases the strain on human health through respiratory problems caused by water scarcity and desert-specific exposures, the arid Southwest serves as a microcosm of the resulting health impacts.
The center actively promotes interdisciplinary research initiatives within and across the three research groups, fosters collaboration, and brings together experts from different disciplines to tackle the complex challenges of environmental health. is.
According to the deputy director of the center dean bilheimerthe center’s success stems from the talent and dedication of its 54 members.
“The center itself provides interdisciplinary technical support and scientific advice to researchers, as well as seed funding for new projects,” said Billheimer, who is also a professor of biostatistics at the Zuckerman College of Public Health. It makes research possible,” he said. “These technical and scientific activities rely on the collaborative expertise of research focus groups and technical core scientists.”
Over the past decade, the center’s pilot project program has invested just under $1.5 million in research, resulting in nearly $58.4 million in total NIH awards. That’s a total return on investment of 40 to 1 for him, said Cherrington, associate dean for research at Coit School of Pharmacy and director of the Center for Toxicology.
Ding Sing Sing He is Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Coit College of Pharmacy, Chair of the Center’s Pilot Project Program, and Director of the Inhalation Exposure Resource. The center serves as a hub for environmental health science researchers and trainees from various departments of the university to interact and collaborate, he said.
“This center is unique in that researchers across campus are truly integrated and working towards a common goal, and our shared commitment to excellence is our true strength,” said Ding. rice field.
Douglas Cromiedirector of Cellular Imaging Facility Corehas been with the Center since its inception almost 30 years ago. He focuses on community outreach and engagement, one of the projects and initiatives that have emerged from the Center since its inception.
“After decades of hard work, the Community Engagement Core has become known as a trusted partner to tribal communities, helping the center become a resource for tribal environmental issues,” Cromy said. .
The Community Engagement Core works closely with tribal partners across the state to host tribal forums and youth summer programs on a semiannual basis that introduce environmental and social justice concepts.
Other initiatives at the center include Steps 2 STEM, a four-week research experience for high school students enrolled in the Pima County Joint Technical Education District’s Biotechnology or Healthcare Fundamentals Program.The program is a partnership between the Southwest Center for Environmental Health Sciences and University of Arizona Cancer Center.
“The center has a long tradition of supporting research excellence in environmental health sciences and engaging local communities for research translation and citizen science,” Ding said. “The Center’s continued success is rooted in our commitment to this mission and made possible by the unwavering support from the leadership of the University, the University of Arizona Health Sciences and the School of Pharmacy.”
a Version of this article Originally posted on the University of Arizona Health Sciences website.