Environmental Health Sciences Pilot Grants
PROSPECTIVE APPLICANT INFORMATION:
A major focus of HERCULES is to advance the science of the exposome (the comprehensive analysis of environmental exposures over a lifetime); however, the Pilot Project Program supports any research in the environmental health sciences that aligns with the mission of NIEHS. Pilot projects must focus on the role of the environment in human disease, and may include basic (cellular and animal), biomedical, translational, clinical, epidemiologic, behavioral projects, or community engaged research, e.g., studies on specific environmental toxicants, mechanisms of environmental toxicant damage, gene-environment interactions, or social determinants of environmental exposure or risk.
Projects with translational relevance (clinical or population-based), community-based participatory research projects, projects addressing racism and equity, and collaborative and interdisciplinary projects are particularly encouraged.
PARTNER FUNDING:
Through a partnership with the Winship Cancer Institute, an additional award that focuses on the role of the environment in cancer biology, cancer prevention, and cancer outcomes will be supported. Applicants interested in funding from the HERCULES-Winship partnership should include at least one investigator who is a member of Winship.
Through a partnership with the Emory Children’s Health Assessment, Research Translation, and Combating Environmental Racism (CHARTER) Center, an additional pilot is available that focuses on the role of the environment in children’s health. Applicants interested in funding from the HERCULES-CHARTER partnership should clearly delineate their project’s alignment with the goals of the CHARTER Center.
OBJECTIVE:
The central goal of HERCULES is to build the capacity of investigators at Emory and Georgia Tech to successfully compete for NIEHS-funded research awards and to support NIEHS-funded investigators. Specifically, the Pilot Project Program supports developmental projects aimed at competing for NIEHS R21 or R01 research grants, and it is expected that an application for such a grant will be submitted after the pilot funding. It is critical for pilot applicants to consider the research priorities of NIEHS in their pilot project plans to ensure alignment with Center goals.
CENTER CORES:
Applications that propose to utilize one or more of the HERCULES Facility Cores are especially encouraged. The Facility Cores are designed to provide investigators with state-of-the-art technologies, tools, and approaches that can be applied to environmental health studies to ensure that the most impactful, rigorous, and innovative research is being undertaken by Emory Investigators. Awardees will receive subsidized Core services. Applicants planning to use a HERCULES Core are required to consult with Core members regarding feasibility and costs before submitting a full application. Applicable Core consultation meeting times will be provided upon receipt of a letter of intent.
• Environmental Health Data Sciences: Expertise in statistical approaches in environmental health research, data management, and systems biology.
• Targeted Exposure Analysis: A unique suite of multiple types of mass spectrometers allows for measurement of any chemical in multiple biological matrices.
• Metabolomics: A standardized high-resolution protocol is used to obtain a global view of metabolism and environmental exposures.
• Clinical/Population Research Services: Provides expertise in translation of basic science concepts into practical clinical and population research designs and opportunities to connect with appropriate population resources including the GA-CTSA.
• Community Engagement Core (CEC): Applicants planning a community-engaged pilot project are required to consult with the CEC, which offers expertise in community partnerships and assessing the feasibility and scope of community-engaged research projects.