Research Translation Core

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

ABSTRACT (Research Translation Core: Ramirez-Andreotta, Brusseau, Artiola, Maier) The overarching mission of the University of Arizona Superfund Research Program (UA SRP) is to advance science and to use the research conducted by our Center for the improvement of human health and the environment. The UA SRP Research Translation Core drives this effort through dedicated interactions with our stakeholders to ensure that the key strengths and accomplishments, and the research results and implications, of the UA SRP are appreciated and applied. A major divide often exists between the generation of cutting-edge research and putting the findings into practice. Thus, a critical part of the research process is ensuring effective translation of evidence-based information and innovative research products to end-users for application. The UA SRP Research Translation team acts as a knowledge broker to build partnerships and exchange information between UA SRP scientific experts and those who are impacted by hazardous waste. These stakeholders include communities, decision-makers, practitioners, industry, as well as other academics and the NIEHS. The UA SRP Research Translation Core has been designed to effectively integrate and translate UA SRP findings on the impacts of hardrock mining sites and mining activities on human health and the environment through four key areas of Research Translation: 1) Communicating within the Superfund Research Program community, focusing on facilitating investigator-initiated research translation, reporting activities to SRP staff at NIEHS, and cross-center communication; 2) Building government partnerships and transdisciplinary teams to engage in constructive, collaborative partnerships and to build upon previous experiences in order to cultivate additional long-term partnerships with government agencies; 3) Technology transfer to identify opportunities and delineate mechanisms to transfer UA SRP research advances in biomedical and environmental science and engineering technologies into health intervention and site characterization and remediation tools; and 4) Information dissemination to other end-users which will involve using a variety of traditional and innovative approaches to transfer the knowledge gained from the Center's project activities to make as broad an impact as possible. We will use a variety of measures to assess our success, and to ensure that we are meeting our goal of effective research translation. Through these activities, we will serve our stakeholders by acting as a neutral party to provide evidence-based information on contaminants such as arsenic and other metal(loids), mining, and other potential hazards, and their impacts on human health and the environment.