Core A - Administrative Core

University Of California Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

ABSTRACT Core A ? Administrative Core The proposed renewal of the Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment (CIRCLE), which is a Children?s Environmental Health and Disease Research Center based at the University of California, Berkeley is designed to study chemical, genetic, and epigenetic factors and immune status during fetal development and their roles in the etiology of the most common childhood cancer in a vulnerable and ethnically diverse population. CIRCLE includes three Research Projects and three Cores as follows: Project 1 (In Utero Chemical Exposures, Immune Status, and Childhood Leukemia) will assess the interplay of specific in utero chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated hydrocarbons, and tobacco chemical mixture, that may impact fetal immune status, and their joint effect upon childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk; Project 2 (Identifying In Utero Exposures that are Risk Factors for Childhood Leukemia) will characterize broad classes of maternal/fetal exposures received during gestation from diverse sources including pollution, diet, drugs and endogenous processes by conducting untargeted omics examinations of small molecules and of adducts of reactive electrophiles; Project 3 (Prenatal Exposures, Constitutive Genetics, DNA Methylation & Childhood Leukemia) will provide a clearer understanding of combined impact of both environmental and genetic causes and immune factors on DNA methylation patterns in childhood leukemia, using neonatal blood spots; the Community Outreach and Translation Core (COTC; Core B) will disseminate findings from each Project to various audiences who share interest in the etiology of childhood leukemia; and Mouse Model Service Core (Core C) will test the impact of chemical exposures in an animal model of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The main objectives of Core A are to provide oversight, coordination, and integration of Center activities; establish/manage an External Advisory Committee; coordinate community engagement, appoint and collaborate with the Pediatric Health Specialist, and support the research career development of new Career Development Investigator within the structure of the Center. Pursuant to these objectives, Core A will provide centralized administrative and research support to all Projects and Cores.