Programs

The NIEHS Center implements two programs that help foster the development of both junior and senior faculty.  As part of the Center’s Career Development Program, every two years, junior faculty members from various departments in CUMC are selected by the Executive Committee to receive financial awards that can be used to help them jumpstart their research careers. These funds can be used toward setting up a laboratory, hiring a lab tech or research assistant, purchasing equipment and supplies, or attending a professional conference. A mentoring committee composed of 2-3 Center members is also set up to help foster the development of these junior faculty as independent investigators in EHS.

The Pilot Projects Program, which primarily targets junior faculty and senior faculty who are expanding their research into new areas in the field of environmental health, provides funding (up to $25K) for one-year research projects.  Pilot awardees have access to the Center’s state-of-the-art Facility Cores, and receive intellectual support and mentoring by other Center members.  The program funds projects that advance our understanding of the health impacts of environmental exposures over the life course, with a focus on the Center’s themes.  Many investigators have used data generated from their pilot projects to successfully obtain additional grant funds (from the NIH and other sources) to continue their research.