The objectives of our Harvard Kresge Center for Environmental Health are to generate new knowledge relating to the physiology, pharmacology, pathology, cell biology, and epidemiology of environmental disease, and to apply this knowledge to new modalities of therapy and prevention. We intend to realize these objective through a variety of approaches which range from studies of molecules and cells to those of whole animals and human populations. Through the organizational structure and financial support provided by the NIEHS Center Grant, we hope to increase the impact of our research and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of environmental diseases. A major goal is to facilitate productive interactions between basic and applied environmental science. This will be accomplished by fostering active collaborations among six scientific cores: They are: 1) Radiobiology and Environmental Carcinogenesis, 2) Biochemical and Environmental Toxicology, 3) Respiratory Biology and Inhalation Toxicology, 4) Environmental Epidemiology, 5) Occupational Health, and 6) Environmental Science and Engineering. The work of the scientific cores, their faculty, students and fellows, will be greatly facilitated by four facilities cores: They include: 1) Cell and Molecular Imaging, 2) Human Cell Bank, Genotyping and Tissue Culture, 3) Exposures, and 4) Biostatistics and Data Management. Finally our ability to make our research available to the public will be greatly enhanced by our Community Outreach and Education Core. The theme of our center grant is the effects of physical and chemical factors in the environment on biological system, with particular emphasis on the health of humans. Biologic effects include alteration of function, as well as initiation or aggravation of illness, disability and premature death. A wide range of diseases and effects are included, such as cancer, chronic lung disease, reproductive outcomes and effects on the nervous and renal systems. Our approaches are both toxicologic and epidemiologic. Toxicologic approaches include a variety of molecular, biochemical and physiologic methods applied to biologic systems ranging from cells to whole organisms. Epidemiologic methods also cover a wide range from field studies to analysis of vital records and case control studies.
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