Development Core

DEVELOPMENTAL CORE: PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overall goal of the Developmental Core (DC) of the Southern California Center for Children’s Environmental Health Translational Research (SC-CCEHTR) is (1) to nurture and mentor junior investigators developing new translational research strategies and approaches to children’s environmental health science (CEHS), and (2) to develop a Catalyst Project Program addressing time-sensitive or emerging challenges in CEHS and testing novel multidisciplinary translational approaches to identify the causes and reduce the burden of environmental disease. A Career Development Program (CDP) will develop CEHS expertise and identify and promote training opportunities that are concordant with the Center theme of Urbanism, Air Pollution, Children’s Health and Environmental Justice. The CDP will distinguish itself by promoting integration across diverse fields largely new to CEHS, including communication, policy and urban design, sociology, dramatic arts, education, network analysis and implementation science, among others; and traditional CEHS population sciences. Junior investigators will be supported by Catalyst Program pilot project funds with a goal of increasing CEHS translational impact, productivity, competitiveness for peer-reviewed external funding in CEHS, and progress to research independence. An innovative CD Seminar, a forum for mentoring, especially peer mentoring, information exchange and development of new interdisciplinary translational teams, will help promote integration across disciplines. Center enrichment activities, including Center seminar series, workshops, associated visiting scientist symposia, Focus Area working groups, yearly Center retreats, and travel support will all have a focus on junior investigators’ CD. An innovative partnership with the International Society for Children’s Health and the Environment (ISCHE) will expand the reach of the CDP. ISCHE will train junior investigator “Fellows” in policy, science communication and community science. The Center will support travel of approximately 10 ISCHE Fellows and participants in the SC-CCEHTR CDP who are ISCHE members to an ISCHE Retreat in Years 3 and 5. Fostering interactions with junior investigators from other institutions regionally and across the country will be a Center priority. External investigators from ISCHE, other Children's Environmental Health Research Translation Centers, and other partners will have priority for the Catalyst Program pilot projects and Center CD resources in order to promote mutually beneficial collaboration. The DC will also leverage a broad spectrum of training opportunities developed across three other NIEHS-funded centers at USC, focused on CEHS, that have a track record of successfully mentoring junior faculty to independence and tenure-track faculty positions. The DC will be a model for promoting better understanding of CEHS that leads to reduced air pollution exposure and healthier communities.