About CEGIB
The Center for Environmental Genomics and Integrative Biology (CEGIB) is a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) core center at University of Louisville that focuses on the application of genomics and integrative biology to problems in environmental health. The center promotes scientific achievements that advance our molecular understanding of human diseases and the role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis of disorders of cellular growth and differentiation.
The thematic areas of scientific focus at the Center are:
Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Concerted efforts are being directed at the integration of disparate datasets to identify gene, protein and metabolite networks, the development of mathematical models to simulate and predict biological behavior, and the establishment of productive partnerships between basic and clinical researchers that advance research findings in environmental genomics from the bench to the bedside. These efforts will help UofL environmental health science investigators remain competitive and at the cutting edge of biomedical research.
The achievements of Center investigators, along with other sectors of the UofL community places the Center in a strong position to advance a strategic vision that embraces genomics and integrative biology as a new way of thinking and conceptualizing problems in the environmental health sciences. As this new field evolves, we now realize that the best genomic study in the world, by itself, is not sufficient to find cures to human illness. Thus, our vision is to catalyze activities that will empower true integration of molecular understanding of human diseases with advances in mathematical biology and bioinformatics, as well as clinical medicine and public health.
CEGIB has been designed to build upon current strengths in environmental health sciences and environmental medicine infrastructure at UofL. The Center attracts new talent to the field, helps to advance the biomedical research agenda with a focus in environmental genomics and integrative biology, and ultimately, improves the lives of the people of Kentucky. Biological complexity is nothing more than a reflection of the complexities inherent to the natural world. If environmental health researchers are to impact our current understanding and management of human disease, an integrated way of thinking that marries molecular biology to the higher levels of biological organization needs to be nurtured and cultivated among researchers in the environmental health research community.
While full realization of the benefits that come with this level of integration may take decades, application of systems theory to environmental health sciences will require integration of the knowledge derived from architectural components with knowledge of the response of individual and collective components to perturbations induced by environmental factors. The assimilation of systems biology thinking into mainstream scientific culture is still in its infancy. Little is known or understood about biological regulatory networks that define integrative cellular functions and influence human disease. It is envisioned that CEGIB will provide the conceptual framework to identify pathways that are critical to disease and to discover molecular targets of biological activity.
The Center brings together tremendous talent in the areas of translation and public health and this talent will provide the strong infrastructure for development of translational initiatives within the Center. We have created teams of researchers at UofL that help bring focus to research efforts in the areas of etiology, pathogenesis, intervention and prevention of environmental disease. The Center provides an infrastructure in the areas of bioinformatics, translational research and community outreach that complement existing strengths in genomics, proteomics and metabolomics and together help create a global structure that is highly conducive to excellence in environmental health sciences.
Exciting times lie ahead...
