Superfund Research Program

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August 2022

SRP Director William Suk, Ph.D., and Health Scientist Administrator Heather Henry, Ph.D., reflected on 35 years of SRP during a conversation with NIEHS Director Rick Woychik, Ph.D. Since the late 1980s, the program has improved public health by funding innovative research hubs at universities across the country, forging partnerships with communities affected by hazardous substances, and training early-career scientists in state-of-the-art approaches.

“Whereas much environmental health sciences research shows how exposure to various chemicals may affect human biology, our program puts a positive spin on things,” Suk said. “Our goal is to in fact reduce exposure to those agents through technology, interactions with communities, and specialized educational programs, among other approaches.”

“Whether it is grantees working in community gardens to prevent uptake of pollutants in fruits and vegetables, ensuring that anglers better understand fish safety advisories, or sharing information about how natural disasters can influence the movement of contaminants, our efforts are all about empowering people and advancing public health,” Henry reflected.

Read more in the NIEHS Environmental Factor Newsletter.