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Final Progress Reports: University of California-Davis: Research Translation

Superfund Research Program

Research Translation

Research Translation Coordinator: Justin B. Siegel
Grant Number: P42ES004699
Funding Period: 2005-2023
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Final Progress Reports

Year:   2014  2009 

The role of the UC Davis Research Translation Core (RTC) has been to coordinate the Center's efforts in partnering with local/state/government agencies, communicating with broad audiences, transferring technologies and knowledge, and assisting and/or recording investigator-initiated research translation. The UC Davis SRP has made great strides in opening several lines of communication with local and state agencies in efforts to identify potential collaborations and to inform regulators of relevant scientific findings emanating from the Center. This past year, the UCD RTC continued its collaboration with the University of Arizona's RTC and EPA Region 9 by arranging presentations in the ongoing Live at Region 9 Seminar Series. The talks described cell-based tools useful for identifying harmful chemicals in everyday products. Senior Investigators presented to audiences at the California Air Resources Board and the Department of Toxic Substances, and three Trainees were also directly involved in these efforts by presenting their research on environmental factors in autism to practitioners at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Another UCD SRP Trainee contributed to the BU SRP-organized Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) Partnership call exploring the intersection of ocean health and human health. A webinar given by a Senior Investigator was also disseminated to the public following a successful collaborative project with the Center for Environmental Health identifying the harmful risk of chemicals from plastics. The Transport, Transformation, and Remediation of Contaminants in the Environment Project coordinated the annual Russell Ranch Field Day which focused on bringing together researchers, students, local/state agencies and industry partners to discuss sustainable agricultural practices that ensure environmental health. Topics included irrigation practices and application of soil amendments such as biochar and biosolids. An interview of our Center Director and the RTC Core Leader was conducted by Chemical & Engineering News, which resulted in a news story regarding the concerns and uses of triclosan, a potentially harmful chemical found abundantly in antibacterial consumer products.

The UCD RTC has continued to promote the University of California Entrepreneurship Academy and this past year has provided support to three Superfund Trainees (University of Washington, Michigan State University, University of Kentucky) to attend the intensive workshop. Investigator-lead technology transfer initiatives have resulted in two spin-off companies securing grants to turn research-driven technology into business opportunities to address specific problems. Technology developed in the Development of Rapid, Miniaturized Biosensors Project has been used to develop a startup company, SonanuTech, Inc., which now has NSF Phase I funding for developing a sensor for bacteriophages that are a problem in the bio-fermentation industry. The Development of Rapid, Miniaturized Biosensors project has also secured a grant from the NIH University of California Center for Accelerated Innovation for developing a sensor for detecting bacteria responsible for infectious diseases. Eicosis, Inc., was founded on technology supported by the SRP that was discovered when investigators from the Development and Application of Integrated In Vitro and Cell-Based Bioassays project looked into the physiological role of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), a key enzyme involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Eicosis was recently awarded a Phase I SBIR through NIEHS to advance sEH inhibitors as clinical candidates to treat neuropathic pain in humans.

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