ChicAgo Center for Health and EnvironmenT (CACHET)

PROJECT SUMMARY – Overall This is the revised submission of the first competing renewal proposal for the “ChicAgo Center for Health and EnvironmenT (CACHET)” – the first NIH P30 Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Center in the Chicago area established in 2017 with an equal partnership between the University of Chicago (UofC) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). With synergistic partnership between the two universities with complementary strengths, CACHET promotes multidisciplinary EHS research among clinician, laboratory, and population scientists to evaluate, delineate, and ultimately reduce environmental health related risks among residents of Chicago and beyond. The continuation of a dedicated EHS research center in Chicago is warranted by deep- rooted environmental conditions and their associated health outcomes across population sub- groups. In this context, the CACHET mission is to understand how environmental exposures in urban settings affect human biology and health. Our goal is to generate actionable scientific knowledge that supports efforts to reduce chronic disease burden and improve population health. While there was some EHS research at both institutions prior to the establishment of CACHET; over the past 3.5 years, CACHET has integrated this research, brought researchers together, formalized and steered intra- and inter-institutional collaborations, and significantly enhanced EHS research support infrastructure in the Chicago area. Specifically, CACHET has established Biomarkers and Microbiome Cores, a dynamic Pilot Project Program (PPP), a vibrant Community Engagement Core (CEC), and a highly translational Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC) – all new to the Chicago area. Within this short time frame, and despite the recent pandemic, CACHET has made positive impacts on interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations, multi-sectorial partnerships among community/city/state agencies, and translational EHS discoveries. Leveraging our progress and lessons learned so far, and responding to reviewers’ critique of our first resubmission, we are moving forward by i) streamlining CACHET focus group structure to improve interactions, synergy, and translation, ii) better leveraging the UofC- UIC complementarity and institutional infrastructure to maximize CACHET efficiency, iii) responding to the P30 RFA new emphasis on translational EHS research, and, iii) addressing NIEHS strategic mission. We have revamped the CEC with new leadership and a community-focused agenda; we formed a “Environmental Biomarkers Core (EBC)” by merging the previous ‘Biomarkers’ and Microbiome’ Cores with enhanced access to other institutional Omics Cores (not funded by CACHET); we refined the IHSFC to augment its services to access and leverage large cohorts established and led by CACHET members; and we have taken initiatives to broaden EH research capacity in Chicago through pilot projects and tailored career development.