Project Summary (2025-2030)

Trainees engaged in SRP-related research through the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)-Rice SRP will be afforded all of the opportunities and benefits through our Research Experience and Training Coordination Core (RETCC). The RETCC will continue to harness the resources of BCM and Rice University, both outstanding research institutions that have a solid history of training successful scientists and engineers. These institutions have a long history of academic cooperation, along with the other Texas Medical Center institutions, including the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). BCM-Rice trainees will also benefit from a newly established collaboration through Baylor University (BU). By partnering with BU, trainees will have the opportunity for real-world environmental sampling with Dr. Cole Matson, a Research Translation Coordinator. The newly established Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Core (AECC), through BU will also offer training in environmental chemistry data analysis and interpretation. Members of the Data Management and Analysis Core (DMAC) are also committed to providing trainees the opportunity to learn multi’omics data analysis and machine learning approaches to data integration.

The BCM-Rice SRP is poised to continue a highly innovative training program within the largest medical center in the world focused specifically on scientific and medical research related to environmental impacts of Superfund site contaminants of concern. The purpose of the RETCC core is to create a cross-disciplinary training environment and mentorship program to help develop next-generation scientists and engineers to tackle complex environmental health and biomedical science challenges relevant to Superfund-oriented research. This RETCC will leverage the numerous resources in the Texas Medical Center relating to environmental health and science. Dr. Dan Gorelick has been recruited as an RETCC co-Leader. He is currently a co-Director for the established T32 Training in Precision Environmental Health Sciences (TPEHS) program, a joint initiative between BCM and University of Texas Health Science Center – Houston School of Public Health and MDACC. Trainees will benefit from courses and seminars initiated by the Gulf Coast Center for Precision Environmental Health, an NIEHS-funded Center directed by Dr. Cheryl Walker.

The BCM-Rice SRP focuses on detecting and assessing the effect of maternal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposures on fetal and childhood health and health impacts of potential remediation strategies. The established research projects will expose trainees to innovative approaches, state-of-the-art technologies, and established investigators/mentors to accomplish hypothesis-driven research and importantly, use their findings to bring about lasting change to communities and Superfund stakeholders.