Calendar of Events

This meeting will bring together investigators from the EPA/NIEHS Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers and other experts in the area of children’s environmental health to share scientific strategies, discuss the implementation of new research approaches and tools and to highlight current scientific findings The meeting is planned to include a dynamic exchange between scientists and key stakeholders on translation of the science, lessons learned, and future opportunities. Experts have been invited from the fields of reproductive health, pubertal development, metabolism, early life exposures and epigenetic changes, along with key researchers in environmental technologies.

This meeting is open to the broader children’s environmental health community in an effort to foster collaborations and enhance the children’s environmental health network.

Richard Callan (callan.richard@epa.gov); 703-347-8051
Nica Louie (louie.nica@epa.gov); 703-347-8125
Kimberly Gray (gray6@niehs.nih.gov); (919) 541-0293

Why are some children more susceptible than others to disease from environmental exposures and how can we detect signs of disease early in life? The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) at the US EPA has funded 5 grants to help answer the question, "Are there practical, reliable methods or indicators to assess the early onset of environmentally related disease?" Research funded includes: (1) Searching for biological markers (biomarkers) for health risks associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic in drinking water, (2) Biomarkers to measure changes in the developing immune system from air pollutants that could be related to development of asthma, (3) Understanding why some children seem to be genetically more susceptible to adverse effects from organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure, (4) How to assess environmentally induced diseases of the nervous system for children in agricultural areas exposed to OP pesticides, and (5) How to monitor levels of polybrominated flame retardants (PBDEs) in the environment and how to assess associated adverse developmental effects in children. This meeting will showcase the research findings from these grants and discuss how these results could potentially be useful to the research community, the public and the National Children’s Study.

For many reasons, children are likely to be more vulnerable than adults to the effects of environmental contaminants. To better understand the effects of these exposures on children's health, the Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research ("Children's Centers") were established in 1998 to explore ways to reduce children's health risks from environmental factors. The program is jointly funded by EPA through the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) with additional expertise and low-cost laboratory services provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The long-range goals of the program include understanding how environmental factors affect children's health, and promoting translation of basic research findings into intervention and prevention methods to prevent adverse health outcomes. The program is designed to foster research collaborations among basic, clinical, and behavioral scientists with participation from local communities. Many factors are examined that may impact a child’s health and well-being including physiology, activities and behaviors and both chemical and non-chemical stressors.

Researchers at the Children's Centers continue to publish significant research results increasing awareness and making a difference in quality of life and our environmental impact awareness. This Webinar series is designed to share research progress and significant findings from the Childrens Centers.

Richard Callan (callan.richard@epa.gov); 703-347-8051
Nica Louie (louie.nica@epa.gov); 703-347-8125

Join us for the monthly webinar series presenting the latest research findings in children’s environmental health from the EPA/NIEHS Children’s Centers.

The mission of the Children’s Centers program is to reduce children’s health risks, protect them from environmental threats and to promote children’s health and well-being in their communities.

Environmental Health across Land, Air and Sea is the theme, and it will be woven throughout our scientific presentations and within our host venue.

The goals of the conference are to:

• showcase ongoing interdisciplinary and international research in environmental epidemiology
• emphasize emerging global environmental health issues
• refine and develop new strategies to ameliorate health impacts due to contamination of land, air and sea
• exchange novel scientific findings and methodological approaches, including a focus on characterizing the “exposome” (the combined exposures that a person receives in their lifetime) and how it relates to disease
• highlight successful environmental interventions, including how communication with the public has helped to achieve desired health outcomes
• provide a sustainable conferencing experience by incorporating new procedures and technologies
• facilitate international collaboration in environmental and epidemiological research and training.

The 8th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo will take place on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on April 21 - 23, 2011. The Expo brings together students, scientists, engineers, and business leaders whose innovative technologies are designed to advance economic growth while reducing environmental impact. A highlight of the Expo will be the technologies developed by P3 student teams to address alternative energy, purification and distribution of drinking water, reducing pesticide run-off, green buildings, and more. The Expo also provides a forum for government, nonprofits, and the business community to demonstrate their diverse approaches to sustainability.

There will be 45 P3 Phase I teams competing at this year's Expo.