Penn researchers awarded grant of $ 10 million to study the adverse effects on health, sanitation asbestos

Penn researchers awarded grant of $ 10 million to study the adverse effects on health, sanitation asbestos -

Researchers at the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET), Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, received a grant of $ 10 million from the National Institute of sciences environmental health (NIEHS) over the next four years to study the pathways to asbestos that lead to mesothelioma, bioremediation of this dangerous material, and the mechanisms that lead to asbestos diseases. IP One, mesothelioma, a rare cancer diagnosed in about 3,000 patients each year, is caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos. The disease is usually fatal with very poor prognosis once diagnosed.

The research and training program Penn Superfund (SRP) Center, which was created by this grant, has evolved as a direct result of living community concerns about the Asbestos Biorit Superfund site in Ambler, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles north of Philadelphia. CEET is the academic home for Penn Superfund Center.

NIEHS is a major player in the PRS center with its sister programs Superfund at the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease.

This award is the first grant from NIEHS Superfund driven by the problems identified in a community academic partnership. community outreach CEET and the basic commitment (COEC) facilitated two-way communication with the Ambler community for the past five years. The West and South Ambler communities have long been active in studying the ramifications of asbestos factory long closed their city. Residents of these communities remain at risk of exposure to the environment and a potentially increased risk of developing mesothelioma. Ian A. Blair, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, is director of the Center. CEET director Trevor M. Penning, PhD, professor of pharmacology is the Deputy Director of the Centre. Christine Shwed is administrative coordinator of the Centre. Researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC), the Penn School of Arts and Sciences, and Fox Chase Cancer Center are lead investigators on the grant.

"The work of the Superfund Centre is a model of how to make fine drugs in the field of environmental health by determining, on an individual basis, which has been exposed to a toxic substance and if will develop the disease, "says Penning.

"I am pleased that NIEHS has chosen to fund this truly interdisciplinary center, which is uniquely qualified to address concerns related to exposure to asbestos that have been identified by the community Ambler" Blair notes.

"This new pricing research and training is designed to address important issues related to asbestos so that more informed risk and cleaning decisions can be made and shared," said NIEHS research Superfund program director William Suk, PhD. "This funding from Penn Center SRP has the potential to help communities affected by asbestos exposure locally and elsewhere."

Long-term solutions for a long-term problem

from the late 1880s through today, the Ambler residents have had an occupational exposure environmental or asbestos. Accordingly, current and former residents of the area face potentially serious long-term health consequences. The Ministry of Health of Pennsylvania, with the COEC determined that there was an increased rate of mesothelioma in the region from adjacent zip codes, with women having a higher risk that men. The researchers hope that the investigation and continuing education give more information on the route that led to these health risks.

The new Center will address two environmental science studies related and four biomedical sciences. The six projects were designed to meet a community questions or concerns previously identified by the COEC:

• Can we remedy asbestos without moving it from the original disposal site

• what do we know about the fate and transport of asbestos into the environment through water and air?

• what do we know about the route that were responsible for Ambler mesothelioma cluster? Why the higher incidence in women?

• Is genetic susceptibility to mesothelioma?

• Can asbestos related disease be prevented?

• is there a blood test to determine whether a person will have a disease related to asbestos?

"the new PRS center is an excellent example of the value of awareness and community involvement in health science activities of the basic environment Penn Center," notes basic NIEHS Center program Director Claudia Thompson, PhD. "CEET includes bidirectional communication that stimulates new research opportunities to address the public health concerns of the residents of the environment of the community."

Environmental projects centering on the remediation of asbestos particles will be led by Jane Willenbring, PhD and Brenda Casper, PhD (School of Arts and Sciences) and use mycrorrhiza fungi to break the asbestos to a new form of non-toxic minerals. Studies on mobility and fate of asbestos particles in streams and rivers will be led by Doug Jerolmack, PhD (School of Arts and Sciences) and Willenbring. Methods for detection of the asbestos in the environment involve monitoring its movement through the soil and water using substitutes translucent sol and a nanoaqaurium. A sociological study to identify how exposure to asbestos may occur and whether this could explain the cluster of mesothelioma caused by asbestos in Ambler will be led by Fran Barg Ted and Emmett (Penn Medicine).

Although these projects have evolved in response to concerns of the community Ambler, results could easily be converted to the 15 other asbestos Superfund sites in the United States.

biomedical branch of the Centre grant will explore the genetic susceptibility to mesothelioma and to develop a blood test for early detection using a mouse model of mesothelioma. Becky Simmons, Ph.D. (Penn Medicine) work with Joseph Testa, PhD (Fox Chase) and a knockout mouse tumor suppressor he developed. The team will determine if there is a genetic predisposition that makes individuals more susceptible to mesothelioma induced by asbestos. The mouse model can be used to test whether the remediated asbestos is less toxic. Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou, PhD, and Steve Albelda, MD (Penn Medicine) will study how to prevent mesothelioma in mice exposed to asbestos by using an antioxidant in flaxseed and also use flaxseed to treat mice if they were the first signs of mesothelioma. Anil Vachani and Blair will develop a blood test to determine whether the subjects were exposed to asbestos and if they are at risk of developing mesothelioma. To do this, they will use blood samples of workers who have been heavily exposed to asbestos. These samples will be provided by the National vermiculite and asbestos-related cancer at Wayne State University and the Philadelphia Insulators and Asbestos Workers Local 14 Union Centre. Mesothelioma Blood samples will be provided by the Penn Lung Center and Pleural Mesothelioma Program and the National Virtual Bank mesothelioma, mesothelioma and stored samples held at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

The Biostatistics research center led by Wei-Ting Wang, PhD (Penn Medicine) provide expertise for all projects biostatistics and basic translational research directed by Richard Pepino, MSW and Robert Schenkel , PhD (Penn Center for innovation) will forward the results of the Centre for the scientific community, regulators and promote these new technologies that the asbestos remediation strategies for marketing and new tests prognostic and diagnostic for exposure to asbestos. The community-based engagement directed by Emmett and Barg transmit all the results to the Ambler community and relaying community concerns additional investigators Centre.

"The new Superfund center, which focuses on asbestos fate, exposure, sanitation and health side effects significantly complement a Centre of Excellence in Translational Thoracic Oncology was established in the Abramson Cancer Center, "said Chi Van Dang, MD, PhD, ACC director. "It will also enrich the Population Science Program Cancer Center, with its mission to assess cancer risk."

"I am delighted that the new center was established because it will add significantly to translational research portfolio Penn," noted Garret FitzGerald, MD, FRS, Director of the Penn Institute translation Medicine and Therapeutics. The grant also provides funding to develop a unique interdisciplinary training program, which will marry environmental science with the science of environmental health so that doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows will receive training in these complementary disciplines. The unique features of this training include participation in webinars sponsored by NIEHS Superfund and internships in technology transfer to TTC and EPA.