Area of Research Emphasis:
Susceptible Populations (SP)
SSP 
Overview: When it comes to environmental exposures and their effects on human health, some groups of people are more vulnerable to harm than others. Age, gender, health status, and genetics can all influence how likely an individual is to be harmed by any given exposure. Researchers associated with this Area of Research Emphasis focus on susceptible periods of development, which may include preconception impacts on fertility (reproductive toxicology), effects on early embryonic and fetal development (i.e., teratology), infant and childhood development, as well as the unique susceptibilities introduced by the process of aging. Investigators in the SSP ARE are interested in how environmental factors impact human development and reproduction and furthermore, how these impacts underlie developmental ontogeny of disease, and contribute to the onset of adult disease. Accordingly, investigators in this core use both in vitro and in vivo animal models as well as human epidemiology and clinical findings to identify potential gene-environment interactions of relevance.
SP Connections: Fourteen researchers affiliated with the CEEH are working in this area of research emphasis. For example, Elaine Faustman is working to understand the precise mechanisms by which children are harmed by pesticide exposures. Another CEEH affiliate, Catherine Karr, is working to understand the impacts of air pollution on the respiratory health of infants. Terry Kavanagh and Peter Rabinovitch are working to increase our understanding of the basic biology of aging by studying how certain genetic alterations are associated with an increased lifespan in mice. Finally, CEEH affiliate Margaret Heitkemper is exploring connections between stress, sleep patterns, and genetic variations in women with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that is poorly understood and difficult to treat.
Click HERE for a list of all investigators affiliated with the Susceptible Populations ARE.
ARE Director:
Dr. Elaine Faustman, UW Dept. of Environmental and Occ. Health Sciences
faustman@u.washington.edu
206-685-2269