A. Objectives/Specific AimsIn the previous application, separate facility cores handled support for human studies by Center forEnvironmental Health in Northern Manhattan (CEHNM) members. Biospecimen processing and analysis wasprovided by the Biomarkers Facility Core, and support for study design, data management and statisticalanalysis by the Biostatistics Epidemiology and Data Management (BEDM) Facility Core. With the requirementby NIEHS for an Integrative Health Sciences Facility (IHS) Core, these two cores were combined in Januaryof 2006.The overall goal of the IHS Facility Core is to facilitate both patient-oriented and population-based researchwithin the CEHNM. It promotes the strategic goals of the CEHNM by supporting existing research projectsand fostering new interdisciplinary activities focusing on environmental health problems. The Core providesthe infrastructure to carry out these studies and has several components, including biospecimen processing,DNA extraction, genotyping and laboratory assays. Epidemiologic and biostatistical capabilities includecollaboration on study design, power calculations, measurement of exposure, covariates, confounders andoutcomes and data management and analysis. The biorepository arm of the IHS Core provides a centralized,efficient and cost-effective resource for collecting or receiving, processing, storing, distributing and analyzingbiological samples. The Core also seeks to address the needs of CEHNM investigators as their researchfocus changes. The addition of high throughput genotyping methods was the result of member requests, aswas the development of oxidative stress assays and enhancement of data management capabilities. It alsodevelops and validates new assays to meet the changing needs of CEHNM investigators.In addition, the Core offers pro-bono or low-cost services to new CEHNM pilot projects. Training of studentsand postdoctoral fellows is an important component of Core activities, allowing methodologies to be exportedto other laboratories, providing access to equipment and the expertise necessary to conduct studies requiringDNA adduct detection, measurement of oxidative stress markers, genotyping and other immunoassays ofinterest. The Core also provides extremely efficient, cost-effective cutting-edge web-based and otherdatabase management systems, which are expanding to include a major formal educational component.Finally, the IHS Facility Core works with the Community Outreach and Education Core (COEC) todisseminate research results to the surrounding community; its activities were highlighted in the most recentCEHNM newsletter.
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