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 Environmental Health Science Center (SWEHSC) 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 promotes environmental health research around the world. University of Arizona 6 colleges and 19 faculties with strong support Research, Innovation and Impact DepartmentUniversity 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.
Dr. Nathan Cherrington, ATS, the director of SWEHSC 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.
SWEHSC actively promotes interdisciplinary research initiatives both within and across the three research groups. The center fosters collaboration and brings together experts from various disciplines to address complex environmental health challenges.
According to SWEHSC Deputy Director Dr. Dean Birheimerhas been with the Center since 2011, and the Center’s success is built on the talent and dedication of its 54 members.
Dr. Billheimer, who is also a professor of biostatistics at the Zuckerman College of Public Health, said, “The center itself is dedicated to research by providing interdisciplinary technical support and scientific advice to researchers and seed funding for new projects.” It makes it 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 40:1, said Dr. Cherrington, associate dean for research and director of the Center for Toxicology at Coit School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Ding XingxingHe is Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Coit School of Pharmacy, Chair of the Pilot Project Program at SWEHSC, 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 Dr. Ding. rice field.
Douglas Cromiedirector of Cellular Imaging Facility Corehas worked with SWEHSC 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 and has helped the center become a resource for tribal environmental issues,” Cromy said. rice field.
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 Step 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.This program is SWEHSC 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,” said Dr. Ding. “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.”
