Project Summary (2020-2025)

The Administrative Core (AC) will lead the Oregon State University (OSU) SRP’s efforts to achieve its mission: to identify polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment, characterize their toxicity, and specify the environmental concentrations below which they pose no threat to human health. The vision of the AC is that the OSU SRP will fill knowledge gaps, meet stakeholders’ needs, and enable stakeholders to make evidence-based decisions. The AC will oversee the translation of SRP research and provide effective liaison to stakeholders, NIEHS, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and various organizations within OSU. The AC has obtained strong institutional support. OSU’s official recognition of this group as an institutional Center enhances its visibility, ensures centralized monetary support, and enables project researchers to control a significant portion of indirect funds generated by this grant. As a result, the AC can make important investments to respond rapidly to events such as the Hurricane Harvey disaster in Houston. This organization is unique among SRPs in that it has formed partnerships with a National Laboratory and with Tribal Nations. The Research Translation Coordinators (RTCs) serve as catalysts and as powerful conduits between projects and cores. AC staff members have a long history of managing multi-disciplinary, multi-investigator extramural programs and institutional Centers. The engaged External Advisory Committee helped to develop the AC’s vision for this competing renewal. The AC continues to develop innovative approaches for studying PAHs and to commercialize new technologies. The Administrative Core is highly qualified and eager to manage the Center and to guide its PIs and trainees as they pursue the NIEHS-SRP mission.