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Amolegbe SM, Lopez AR, Velasco ML, Carlin DJ, Heacock ML, Henry HF, Trottier BA, Suk WA. Adapting to Climate Change: Leveraging Systems-Focused Multidisciplinary Research to Promote Resilience. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14674. [PMID: 36429393 PMCID: PMC9690097 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 2000 official and potential Superfund sites are located within 25 miles of the East or Gulf coasts, many of which will be at risk of flooding as sea levels rise. More than 60 million people across the United States live within 3 miles of a Superfund site. Disentangling multifaceted environmental health problems compounded by climate change requires a multidisciplinary systems approach to inform better strategies to prevent or reduce exposures and protect human health. The purpose of this minireview is to present the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program (SRP) as a useful model of how this systems approach can help overcome the challenges of climate change while providing flexibility to pivot to additional needs as they arise. It also highlights broad-ranging SRP-funded research and tools that can be used to promote health and resilience to climate change in diverse contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M. Amolegbe
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | | | | | - Danielle J. Carlin
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Michelle L. Heacock
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Heather F. Henry
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Brittany A. Trottier
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - William A. Suk
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Durham, NC 27709, USA
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David D, Weir ML, Enwerem N, Schulman-Green D, Okunji PO, Travers JL, Clark-Cutaia MN. National Institutes of Health diversity supplements: Perspectives from administrative insiders. Nurs Outlook 2022; 70:827-836. [PMID: 36396502 DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The NIH Diversity Administrative Supplement is a funding mechanism that provides support for diverse early-stage researchers. There is limited guidance on how to apply for these awards. PURPOSE We describe perspectives of NIH program/diversity officers and university research administrators offering recommendations for diversity supplement submission. METHODS This article is the product of a working group exploring diversity in research. Nursing faculty from an R2 Historically Black College and University and an R1 research intensive university conducted stakeholder interviews with NIH program/diversity officers and university research administrators. We used content analysis to categorize respondents' recommendations. FINDINGS Recommendations centered on harmonizing the applicant with the program announcement, communication with program/diversity officers, mentor/mentee relationship, scientific plan, and systematic institutional approaches to the diversity supplement. DISCUSSION Successful strategies in submitting diversity supplements will facilitate inclusion of diverse researchers in NIH-sponsored programs. Systematic approaches are needed to support development of diverse voices to enhance the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel David
- New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, NY.
| | - Melissa L Weir
- Howard University, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Washington, DC
| | - Nkechi Enwerem
- Howard University, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Washington, DC
| | | | - Priscilla O Okunji
- Howard University, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Washington, DC
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Heacock ML, Lopez AR, Amolegbe SM, Carlin DJ, Henry HF, Trottier BA, Velasco ML, Suk WA. Enhancing Data Integration, Interoperability, and Reuse to Address Complex and Emerging Environmental Health Problems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7544-7552. [PMID: 35549252 PMCID: PMC9227711 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Environmental health sciences (EHS) span many diverse disciplines. Within the EHS community, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program (SRP) funds multidisciplinary research aimed to address pressing and complex issues on how people are exposed to hazardous substances and their related health consequences with the goal of identifying strategies to reduce exposures and protect human health. While disentangling the interrelationships that contribute to environmental exposures and their effects on human health over the course of life remains difficult, advances in data science and data sharing offer a path forward to explore data across disciplines to reveal new insights. Multidisciplinary SRP-funded teams are well-positioned to examine how to best integrate EHS data across diverse research domains to address multifaceted environmental health problems. As such, SRP supported collaborative research projects designed to foster and enhance the interoperability and reuse of diverse and complex data streams. This perspective synthesizes those experiences as a landscape view of the challenges identified while working to increase the FAIR-ness (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) of EHS data and opportunities to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Heacock
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
- . Tel: 984-287-3267
| | | | - Sara M. Amolegbe
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Danielle J. Carlin
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Heather F. Henry
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Brittany A. Trottier
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | | | - William A. Suk
- Superfund
Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), National Institutes
of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
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Suk WA, Heacock M, Carlin DJ, Henry HF, Trottier BA, Lopez AR, Amolegbe SM. Greater than the sum of its parts: focusing SRP research through a systems approach lens. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2021; 36:451-457. [PMID: 32862150 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2020-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program (SRP) funds diverse transdisciplinary research to understand how hazardous substances contribute to disease. SRP research focuses on how to prevent these exposures by promoting problem-based, solution-oriented research. SRP's mandate areas encompasses broad biomedical and environmental science and engineering research efforts and, when combined with research translation, community engagement, training, and data science, offers broad expertise and unique perspectives directed at a specific big picture question. The purpose of this commentary is to adapt a systems approach concept to SRP research to accommodate the complexity of a scientific problem. The SRP believes a systems approach offers a framework to understand how scientists can work together to integrate diverse fields of research to prevent or understand environmentally-influenced human disease by addressing specific questions that are part of a larger perspective. Specifically, within the context of the SRP, a systems approach can elucidate the complex interactions between factors that contribute to or protect against environmental insults. Leveraging a systems approach can continue to advance SRP science while building the foundation for researchers to address difficult emerging environmental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Suk
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Michelle Heacock
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Danielle J Carlin
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Heather F Henry
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Brittany A Trottier
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Suk WA, Heacock ML, Trottier BA, Amolegbe SM, Avakian MD, Henry HF, Carlin DJ, Reed LG. Assessing the Economic and Societal Benefits of SRP-Funded Research. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2018; 126:065002. [PMID: 29916809 PMCID: PMC6108577 DOI: 10.1289/ehp3534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Basic Research and Training Program (SRP) funds a wide range of transdisciplinary research projects spanning the biomedical and environmental sciences and engineering, supporting and promoting the application of that research to solving real-world problems. OBJECTIVES We used a case study approach to identify the economic and societal benefits of SRP-funded research, focusing on the use of potentially hazardous substance remediation and site monitoring tools. We also identified successes and challenges involved in translating SRP grantees' research findings and advances into application. DISCUSSION We identified remediation and detection research projects supported by the SRP with the most potential for economic and societal benefits and selected 36 for analysis. To examine the benefits of these applied technologies, we interviewed 28 SRP-supported researchers and 41 partners. Five case studies emerged with the most complete information on cost savings-total savings estimated at >$100 million. Our analysis identified added societal benefits such as creation of small businesses, land and water reuse, sustainable technologies, exposure reduction, and university-industry partnerships. CONCLUSIONS Research funded by the SRP has yielded significant cost savings while providing additional societal benefits. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3534.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Suk
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michelle L Heacock
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brittany A Trottier
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - Heather F Henry
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Danielle J Carlin
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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