The mission of the recently established Inhalation and Pulmonary Physiology Core (IPP Core) facility is to provide the state-of-the-art technology needed by Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) researchers and others conducting inhalation toxicology and exposure assessment studies. Together with the longer standing Fluorescence Cytometry and Molecular Histology and Fluorescence Imaging Cores (FC and MHFI Cores), the IPP Core provides critical infrastructure to support and enhance the Institution's and Center's research and training goals. The new Core supports the Center's research goal of elucidating the mechanisms leading from exposure to environmental agents to increased morbidity and mortality by providing technology and expertise on inhalation exposures to well characterized test atmospheres of air pollutants, and subsequent evaluation of post-exposure impact on lung function. IPP Core resources include cutting-edge inhalation exposure and pulmonary physiology equipment, a full surgical suite, air sampling equipment, and expertise in the fundamental principles and operation of all Core equipment and services. Exposure facilities include a novel inhalation exposure chamber for studying the effects of inhaled wood smoke, an inhalation chamber for low-level exposures to inhaled methamphetamine, and an ozone exposure chamber. All three chamber systems are flexible and easily adaptable for generating controlled test atmospheres of other gases and particles, alone or in combination. Equipment to perform both invasive and non-invasive murine pulmonary function, human spirometry, air sampling, and nanoparticle characterization together with a full surgical suite complete the resources currently available to the Core. Core personnel provide scientific expertise in inhalation exposure protocol design, sampling and analysis of air pollutants, and training on the use of Core equipment. The combination of available instrumentation and expertise enhances the potential for collaborative efforts within the Center and with other investigators at the University of Montana and across the region, and thus contributes to CEHS'sustainability.
The Inhalation and Pulmonary Physiology Core provides state-of-the-science technical and expert support to CEHS and other investigators on the development and implementation of experimental protocols for performing controlled exposures to gas- and particle-phase airborne agents, and measurement of murine lung function. These resources are critical to the scientific competiveness and sustainability of the Center.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 36 publications
