U54 Research Project 1: Disparities in environmental exposures and health impacts Abstract The main premise of the proposed research is that health disparities in the eastern Coachella Valley (ECV), especially with regard to asthma and cardiopulmonary disease within the Latino community, are significantly affected by differential chronic environmental exposures to aerosols including biological materials (e.g., allergens and microbial components). To focus on the specific question of environmental exposures and health, we aim to develop a monitoring protocol and database that would allow us to assess correlates between aerosolized particulate components, effects on pulmonary inflammatory responses, and the epidemiology of asthma and other cardiopulmonary diseases in the Coachella Valley.
We aim to accomplish this in conjunction with a community advisory board to enable continuous community engagement. The research program will include transport studies to identify patterns of particle/pollutant transport in the Coachella Valley, collection of particulate, soil and water samples in and near the Salton Sea to track the origins and movement of biological components in aerosols, and exposure of the collected material in mouse models to identify materials that may contribute to lung inflammation and asthma in the community.
