Translational Research Support Core

SUMMARY: TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SUPPORT CORE The vision for the Translational Research Support Core (TRSC) of the Gulf Coast Center for Precision Environmental Health (GC-CPEH) is to improve environmental health by promoting translation of laboratorybased research into population studies and facilitating “reverse translation” of research in community and clinical settings into new hypothesis-driven research. The TRSC leverages resources and talent from GC-CPEH parent institutions and supports translational environmental health sciences (EHS) research in three Thematic Focus Areas: Genome and Epigenome Environment Interactions (GE2); Mechanisms and Interventions for Human Environmental Disease (MIHED), and Current and Emergent Environmental Threats (CEET) to human health. The TRSC provides centralized expertise, resources, and capabilities, combined with seamless access through the TRSC Web portal, and supports workshops and symposia that increase the environmental health impact of GC-CPEH members. Translational Navigators provide subject matter expertise and prioritized access to TRSC resources and capabilities, and the Matching Funds Core Utilization Program increases cost-effectiveness and utilization of TRSC services. The TRSC creates powerful synergy with other components, including: 1) the Thematic Focus Areas by promoting forward and reverse translation of member research; 2) the Pilot Project Program by providing guidance and capabilities for translational research approaches into pilot project applications; and 3) the Administrative Core through tracking of member usage and outcome metrics, surveys for service and capability needs, subsidies from the Matching Funds Core Utilization Program, and participation in the Leadership Development Program. As a bridge between bench- and population-based researchers, the TRSC promotes and sustains collaborations that contribute to high-impact publications and acquisition of extramural grants supporting EHS research. Working with the Community Engagement Core (CEC), the TRSC facilitates forward and reverse translation of member research with community partners and decision makers to improve human environmental health. The TRSC and CEC cooperatively provide strategic support for research, educational, and outreach activities on emerging health threats. Specific Aims for the TRSC are: Specific Aim 1: Provide services and resources that foster translation between laboratory-based and clinical and population health research; Specific Aim 2: Enhance translational EHS research by members via integration with other GC-CPEH components and facilitating impactful collaborations; Specific Aim 3: Enhance basic and population based translational EHS research by facilitating interactions between researchers and community partners and decision makers.