CORE--EXPOSURE ANALYSIS AND HEALTH EFFECTS

Univ Of Med/Dent Nj-R W Johnson Med Sch, Piscataway NJ

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Research Core on Exposure Analysis and Health Effects is directed toward providing expertise in the development and utilization of scientific and clinical approaches to the characterization of exposures and health effects of environmental contaminants. This core has been renamed, partially reorganized and broaden in scope since the last review cycle. The name change reflects expanding the scope of work to include clinical studies in addition to environmental epidemiology, as well as the placement of a greater emphasis on research directed at identifying biomarkers of exposure. Incorporation of epidemiologic methods activities from the old Exposure Modeling and Epidemiologic Research Laboratory into a new Statistical Support Facility Core Laboratory, establishment of a Exposure and Dosimetry Laboratory Core Laboratory and development of a new Clinical Core Facility has resulted in the partial reorganization. The specific goals of this core represent both changes and modifications from the previous review cycle. The stated goals include: 1) developing mechanistic and diagnostic models of exposure and pharmacokinetics to estimate dose of a toxic agent received by a target population, individual or organ; 2) develop and employ analytical techniques which can measure inorganic/inorganic chemical species and/or biologic markers of exposure in controlled and field situations; 3) design and conduct human exposure-response studies of toxic agents in controlled and field studies; 4) design and conduct epidemiologic research on environmental exposures and health effects; 5) develop clinical studies of physiological and psychological predictors of outcomes from exposures to environmental stressors. These reformulated objects reflect this cores plans to expand its work into the development and validations of biological markers of exposure for use in field studies (environmental epidemiologic and population exposure assessment) and controlled laboratory/environmental human studies. These new objectives also highlight the cores plans to develop a program of controlled human exposures studies, where sensitive and normal subjects will be exposed to varying levels of single compounds and complex mixtures in environmental chamber studies with outcome assessments to include: biomarkers of exposure, biomarkers of effect, physiological effects and psychological or psychophysical effects.