 | Research The department offers graduate and professional training in key areas including global environmental health sciences, toxicology and risk assessment, industrial hygiene, environmental oncology, environmental policy, and disaster management Toxicology and Risk Assessment - The Center for Applied Environmental Public Health (CAEPH) uses a multidisciplinary approach to assess the impact of environmental agents on human health. CAEPH researchers utilize computing technology as a tool to analyze data and to assess the health impact of environmental contaminants. Areas of study include: community-based prevention and intervention research methodology; childhood lead poisoning; application of surveillance methodology and data analysis to environmental health issues; the Mississippi River Water Quality Database and development of technology-mediated teaching methods for environmental health education. CAEPH leads the Academic Partner of Excellence in Environmental Public Health Tracking, a CDC funded national initiative.
- Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) study is examining childhood asthma in Post-Katrina Greater New Orleans area. The study involves a clinical assessment of children with asthma coupled with an environmental assessment of their home to assess mold and other asthma triggers. An Asthma counselor provides information to the family on ways to improve their child's asthma.
- A 5-year longitudinal study of respiratory health and exposure in post-Katrina workers performing demolition, remediation, and renovation.
Global Environmental Health - Study of human health risk associated with an arsenic-contaminated site at an abandoned copper smelter in Taiwan.
- Development of a coastal environmental sensitivity index map for integrated coastal zone management in Thailand.
- The Use of Ferrate in Wastewater Reuse
- Wastewater Reuse for Wetlands Restoration
- The role of E-beam Coupled with Oxidants in the Stabilization/Disinfection of Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Waste Residuals
Environmental Oncology - Study of genetic and epigenetic carcinogens and their mechanisms of action.
- Study of potential carcinogenetic effects induced by course and nano-sized particles.
- Identification and characterization of lung cancer stem cells.
- Study of cytokine functions in cancer development
- Studies on populations exposed to arylamines, nitroarenes, isocyanates, and mycotoxins. Determination of biomarkers (urine metabolites, DNA-adducts, Protein-adducts) and of individual susceptibilities (genotypes of enzymes).
- Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships of mutagenic compounds.
- Study of Characterization of genotoxic components in wood dusts.
Disaster Preparedness and Environmental Policy - Public health and environmental policy decision-making
- Community resilience
- Health systems preparedness
Health Disparities - Breast cancer screening and early detection
- Cultural competence
- Health literacy
Industrial Hygiene - Assessing the applicability and performance of inhalable dust samplers for measuring wood processing dust exposure.
- Evaluating exposure to size-fractionated dust and microbial contaminants for post-Katrina building professionals.
Basic Environmental Health Science - Studies on the application of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for qualitative and quantitative analysis of environmentally relevant toxicants and contaminants. Researchers contribute to understanding the basic molecular biology and toxicology of chaperones and nuclear receptors.
- Studies on the role of transcription factors in cancer development.
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