Benefits of basic research from the Superfund Research Program

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Hazardous Substances Basic Research and Training Program [Superfund Research Program (SRP)] funds transdisciplinary research projects spanning the biomedical and environmental sciences to address issues related to potentially hazardous substances. We used a case study approach to identify how SRP-funded basic biomedical research has had an impact on society. We examined how transdisciplinary research projects from the SRP have advanced knowledge and led to additional clinical, public health, policy, and economic benefits. SRP basic biomedical research findings have contributed to the body of knowledge and influenced a broad range of scientific disciplines. It has informed the development of policies and interventions to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants to improve public health. Research investments by the SRP have had a significant impact on science, health, and society. Documenting the benefits of these investments provides insight into how basic research is translated to real-world applications.</jats:p>

Hydrogels and Hydrogel Nanocomposites: Enhancing Healthcare through Human and Environmental Treatment

“…Environmental contaminants continue to pose significant health risks and, despite the insurmountable efforts to remove them from the environment, their pervasiveness has proven complete remediation to be incredibly difficult and cost-prohibitive. [2,111] There is a pressing need for biomedical solutions to reduce susceptibility to environmental pollutant exposure, stop progression of chronic diseases and improve prognosis. Studies over the last decade have shown the impotence of nutrition in the modulation of inflammation and antioxidant pathways, decreasing toxicity of proinflammatory pollutants ultimately decreasing their body burden.…”

“…In recent years, it has become apparent that genetics cannot explain the majority of diseases, acknowledging that exposures to contaminants can lead to adverse health effects in life. [ 1–3 ] The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that environmental risk factors cause over 24% of human disease globally and are responsible for 13 million deaths each year worldwide. [ 4–6 ] Here, environmental risks to health are defined as “all the external physical, chemical, biological, and work‐related factors that affect a person's health, excluding factors in the natural environment that cannot be modified.” [ 6,7 ] It is estimated over 80% of all major diseases have significant links to environmental exposures, and certain age groups are at higher risk for these diseases, such as children under 5 years and adults aged 50–75 years.…”

Greater than the sum of its parts: focusing SRP research through a systems approach lens

“…SRP-funded basic biomedical research has enhanced understanding of how harmful chemicals may result in disease. This research has also informed the development of policies and interventions to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants to improve public health [19]. Importantly, achieving these wide-ranging benefits required transdisciplinary research that cut across sectors.…”

Enhancing Data Integration, Interoperability, and Reuse to Address Complex and Emerging Environmental Health Problems

“…For example, to design effective strategies to reduce exposures, researchers must have a detailed understanding of when and how people are exposed to hazardous substances. Similarly, intricate relationships within the human body as a function of age, sex, and the amount of exposure over the lifetime play a role when designing targeted therapies to prevent or treat disease . SRP-funded researchers also shed light on the connections between geochemistry, hydrology, meteorology, and microbial biology that affect the use of biological and chemical remediation approaches, providing foundational knowledge and tools to improve strategies to reduce exposures and clean up contaminants in the environment …”

“…Similarly, intricate relationships within the human body as a function of age, sex, and the amount of exposure over the lifetime play a role when designing targeted therapies to prevent or treat disease. 2 SRP-funded researchers also shed light on the connections between geochemistry, hydrology, meteorology, and microbial biology that affect the use of biological and chemical remediation approaches, providing foundational knowledge and tools to improve strategies to reduce exposures and clean up contaminants in the environment. To solve complex environmental health problems, SRP grantees must integrate research across many EHS scientific domains and find new and effective strategies for collaborating and sharing data across disciplines to understand deeper relationships within the larger system.…”