Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC)

The Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC) supports the theme of the UNC Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS): translating interdisciplinary research on environmental susceptibility to improve public health in North Carolina as highlighted by its four aims: The IHSFC provides scientific consultation and project management support for new and existing clinical and translational human subjects’ studies in Environmental Cancer, Cardiopulmonary Disease, and Developmental Disease (Aim 1). The IHSFC supports state of the art collection, processing, analysis, and storage of biospecimens (Aim 2). The IHFSC facilitates access to existing collaborative human studies by establishing a network of environmental health research study resources for established environmental health scientists and junior investigators and also supports new human study development (Aim 3). The IHSFC functions in an integrative capacity with the Molecular Analysis and Statistical Support Facility Core (MASS) and Community Engagement Core (CEC) to support existing research, novel pilot projects, community engagement, and grant applications (Aim 4). The IHSFC achieves these aims through two subcores: the UNC Biospecimen Processing Laboratory (BSP), which supports biospecimen handling and storage, develops new protocols and optimizes quality assurance; and the Population Engagement Research Collaboration unit (PERC), which provides full service human studies support from IRB applications and protocol development to rapid case ascertainment through the NC Central Cancer Registry and hospital-based recruitment. The IHSFC contributes to the overall mission of the UNC CEHS by providing consolidated and cost-effective translational research support for Center members.