Goals of the Pilot Program

• Encourage and facilitate new collaborations among EHSC as well as non-EHSC investigators.
• Attract new faculty to the Center and to environmental health research.
• Attract new faculty to the Center and to environmental health research.
• Assist junior faculty to develop productive research programs in collaboration with the Career Development Program.
• Expand our funding in the area of translational research, in collaboration with the Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core {IHSFC).
• Provide a vehicle for investigators to develop preliminary data for extramural funding applications.
• Develop innovative research initiatives within the Center.
• Provide access to novel technologies to Center investigators.

Current Status Pilot Program Grants

• Requests for Proposals will be available soon

Highlighted Projects funded by the Pilot Project Program:

• Mechanism of Lead Action in Articular Cartilage Degeneration and Arthritis Investigator: Michael Zuscik, Ph.D.

  The impact of lead as an environmental toxicant has been extensively documented in both clinical and basic science literature. Due to the clinically documented association between lead and articular cartilage degeneration (i.e. osteoarthritis), we will be examining the mechanism by which lead results in osteoarthritis. We speculate this might be due to inhibition of TGF-beta signaling. By addressing these aims, we will establish a rationale for further studies to directly determine if there is a causal relationship between lead exposure and cartilage degeneration.
  



• Dermal Penetration and Translocation of Semiconductor Quantum Dot Nanoparticles Investigator: Lisa DeLouise, Ph.D.

  There is an increasing concern that engineered nanoparticles contained in cosmetic products may penetrate the skin and move to secondary target sites, including lymph nodes, the cardiovascular system and the peripheral and central nervous systems. For example, nano-sized TiOa and ZnO particles (20-50 nm) are a regular component of sunscreens but have been reported to cause oxidative stress in microglial cells in the nervous system. This raises concern about how the use of sunscreens may result in exposure of the central nervous system (CNS) and potential neurodegenerative effects. Our hypothesis is that the initial phase of skin absorption is determined by surface chemistry and not the core composition of the nanoparticle. These studies are of high relevance to the mission of the EHS Center by seeking to determine whether environmental nanoparticles can compromise the barrier function of skin in the healthy and inflamed state.