Chicago UP on the Environmental Health Sciences

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chicago's South and West Sides are urban environmental justice areas facing significant racial and ethnic disparities in disease risk and outcomes and are in critical need of environmental health research. In 2017, the “ChicAgo Center for Health and EnvironmenT (CACHET)” was established at UChicago – the first NIEHS P30 Environmental Health Core Center in the Chicago area. As the CACHET membership and projects have grown, so have prospective training opportunities. As a key CACHET goal is to reduce environmental health related disparities among residents of Chicago and beyond, it offers the ideal context for encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in environmental health. Multidisciplinary environmental health research training is offered by clinician, laboratory, and population scientists to understand, evaluate, and ultimately reduce environmental health related disparities. Research areas of emphasis include air, water, and soil pollutants, biomarkers of exposure and effect, molecular and cellular processes of toxicity, and a strong emphasis on community engagement. CACHET offers a robust structure to support training for underrepresented undergraduates, with extensive research and mentoring opportunities by CACHET investigators and ongoing research opportunities. Since 2021, we have leveraged CACHET, its EHS faculty pool, and its research portfolio to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue further studies or careers in EHS research through the Chicago UP on the Environmental Health Sciences Program (UP on EHS). To accomplish this goal, we: 1) provide 2-year mentored research experiences and career/skill development to undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds (rising juniors from institutions across Chicago) to inspire and prepare them for further study in the environmental health sciences; 2) provide opportunities for dissemination in Chicago communities as well as in academic publications or presentations; and 3) create a strong and long-lasting network of support for students throughout their career journeys. For each student, we assemble a dedicated mentor team, provide hands-on research training, and tailor support and projects to trainee needs and interests. We also communicate with program alumni and offer personalized assistance and encouragement. In the first 4+ years of funding, this has translated into very positive outcomes for our trainees, illustrating our dedication to preparing students for graduate school or careers in research. We have proven that our leadership team has the scientific, educational, and established research programs necessary to ensure the continued success of Chicago UP on EHS. We plan to continue engaging cohorts of diverse or underrepresented undergraduates in this renewal application and build upon the strong NIEHS P30 research/researcher infrastructure and ideal context for the NIEHS Undergraduate Research Education Program (UP) to Enhance Diversity in the Environmental Health Sciences.