Cycle 3 - December 2021 Ready to Go TRSC Voucher Awards

Small TRSC Research Voucher Award(s): Small research voucher applications (up to $1,500) support the costs associated with research needed to finish out a project or address questions arising in manuscript revisions or grant resubmissions.

Principal Investigator: Timothy O’Toole, Ph.D.
Collaborator: NA
Title: Markers of physical strength and aging in the NEAT cohort
Lay Description: In addition to promoting inflammation and pre-clinical cardiovascular disease, the inhalation of air pollution particles may also contribute to physical frailty and aging, and we are addressing these effects in our current study cohort by measuring hand grip and leg strength. An additional indicator of physical strength that is sometimes used is blood plasma levels of suPAR. Elevated levels of suPAR are associated with an accelerated pace of aging and declines in physical and cognitive function. This award will allow us to measure suPAR in our local study cohort, enabling a rapid assessment of the biological links between air pollution and impaired physical function.

Large TRSC Research Voucher Award(s)(up to 25% total costs capped at a $10,000 maximum): Large research voucher applications will be provided to subsidize already funded EHS research (for example NIEHS).

Principal Investigator: Lonnie Sears, Ph.D
Collaborator: Kristina Zierold, Ph.D. (UAB), Lu Cai, M.D., Ph.D., Clara Sears, Ph.D.
Title: Metal(loid) body burden in children living near coal power plants
Lay Description: The research voucher will fund ICP-MS to be used to assess finger and toe nails as biomarkers of heavy metal exposure in children living near coal ash storage sites. ICP-MS will provide information on metal body burden in a sample of 260 children and identify metals potentially impacting child neurobehavioral health.