1. Jeannette T. Bensen, MS, PhD, Director IHSFC jbensen@med.unc.edu
UNC-Center for Environmental Health & Susceptibility
Facilitate Research
Training, Education, Community Engagement
Susceptibility (CEHS) Translating interdisciplinary research on environmental health threats to improve public health in North Carolina. Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core
Jeannette T. Bensen, MS, PhD, Director IHSFC

2. IHSFC Structure and Function
PILOT
PROJECTS PROGRAM
&
IAC
SUBSEQUENT
NIEHS
APPLICATION
THEME LEADERS
ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER
CARDIO - PULMONARY DISEASE
DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

3. Integrated Health Sciences Core Facility
Specific Aims
Jeannette Bensen,
IHSFC Director
Provide scientific consultation for clinical and translational human subjects studies.
Assist with collection, processing, analysis, and storage of biospecimens.
Facilitate access to collaborative human studies.
RESEARCH
CONTINUUM

4. Heavy Metal Well Water Contamination Geographically-based to Person-based
CEHS investigator, Fry & Serre
Members of COEC meet with state leaders at the NC-Division of Public Health to identify key concerns
Historic well water data reported to 65,000 home owners
CEHS scientists define slate belt and arsenic contamination in well water
Next…evaluate exposure in individuals with health outcomes

5. IHSFC – Integration with COEC
IHSFC brings together CEHS Environmental Scientists and COEC with Cancer Epidemiology Researchers and Resources
CEHS investigator, Fry

6. IHSFC – Key accomplishments
Baby Connectome Project
Direct Assessment of Cognitive & Behavioral Development
Parent Questionnaires
Brain Imaging
4-6 MRIs
500 Typically Developing Children
0-5 years of age
Followed 4 years
Environmental Impacts on Early Brain Development
*Link environmental toxicant exposures to longitudinal
neuroimaging data
*Collecting exposures and specimens
CEHS
Pilot Projects Program
$$$
CEHS investigators, Piven, Lin, Engel

7. Integrated Health Sciences
Offer
Jeannette Bensen,
IHSFC Director
CEHS-affiliate medical center, UNC Health Care, to facilitate clinical translation
Numerous, large, population-based and hospital-based case-control, case-only, and cohort studies
Exposure assessment methodology and expertise (Mass Spec Core Facility)
Advanced genomic capabilities (TCGA Site)
Specialized animal models (Collaborative Cross)
Health Registry
Cancer Survivor Cohort

8. Integrated Health Sciences
Ask
Challenged with integrating large amounts of genomic data with exposure data (Big Data)
Data sharing
Data sharing demands
Administratively taxing
Requires infrastructure (tracking and secure transfer/websites)
IRB, consent and data coding implications
Date Use Agreements (DUA)
Rarely this work is funded
Streamline models for data sharing and collaboration
Could IHSFC be the vehicle for integration and collaboration?