Exposure Assessment, Biomarkers & Metabolomics Facility Core (EABM-FC)

IEHSFC Director, Biomarkers: Christopher Simpson, PhD, MSc
simpson1@u.washington.edu
(206)  543-2222

Co-Director, Metabolomics: Yvonne Lin
Co-Director, Exposure Assessment: Rich Fenske
Manager, OMICs Integration: Theo Bammler

Exposure assessment is the process of characterizing human contact with and uptake of agents from the environment (including the occupational environment). Given a particular agent, accurate quantification of exposure is critical for epidemiological studies that seek to define dose-response relationships and for risk assessment studies that quantify the probability of a harmful effect to exposed individuals or populations. Misclassification of exposure can lead to failure to adequately protect public health if the risk of harm is underestimated. Alternatively, if the health risk posed by a specific agent is overestimated due to inaccurate measures of exposure, scarce public health dollars are wasted needlessly. The overarching mission of EABM-FC is to provide state-of-the-art exposure assessment tools to CEEH investigators in order to reliably quantify exposure to agents in the environmental and subsequent health consequences and understand the role that gene-environment interactions play in modulating health outcomes. The goals of the core are to:

  1. Provide expert consultation for CEEH researchers regarding sampling plans and measurements of exposure to chemical agents (e.g., volatile organic compounds, metals, particulates).
  2. Provide full-service exposure assessment capability including collection of exposure data, chemical analysis of environmental and biological samples for chemical agents, and interpretation of exposure data.
  3. Develop tissue and biofluid metabolomic profiling as a tool for discovery of biomarkers of exposure and environmentally induced disease in coordination with the Integrative Environment Health Sciences Facility Core.
  4. Develop sensitive and specific quantitative mass spectrometry-based assays for application to biomarkers of exposure.

For more information about this core and the services it provides, please contact the Core Director listed above.