# Research Training Program in Environmental Pediatrics

> **NIH NIH T32** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2021 · $418,677

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Children are exposed to multiple environmental hazards—toxic chemicals, social stressors, and the hazards of
the built environment. Research indicates that early-life environmental exposures contribute to common
pediatric diseases (asthma, learning disorders, birth defects, obesity) and to diseases in adult life. Yet few
pediatricians are trained to diagnose, treat, or prevent diseases of environmental origin, and few academic
health centers have research programs in environmental pediatrics. The IOM states that there is a national
need to expand the scientific workforce in environmental medicine, and new NIH initiatives (CHEAR and
ECHO) have emphasized that children's environmental health is a research priority. Thus, there is a clear need
for scientists trained in the principles and methodologies of environmental pediatrics. To address that need, the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine seeks renewal of its 3-year, interdisciplinary, post-residency/post-doctoral
research training program in environmental pediatrics that began in 2007. Two new fellows are admitted per
year. Selection is highly competitive, and fellows are a mix of clinically trained pediatricians and doctorally
trained research scientists. In year 1, focus is on education training in epidemiology, biostatistics, toxicology,
and environmental medicine, and an MPH degree is granted concentrating in epidemiology. In years 2 and 3,
emphasis shifts more toward mentored research that produces publications, meeting presentations/posters,
and fosters transition toward independent research with an emphasis on K award applications. We provide
fellows with a strong methodological base in environmental health principles and a versatile set of skills and
resources that they can apply to study a wide range of scientific questions. Each fellow is guided by a
mentoring team of clinical and basic scientists. Courses and experiential training are provided in grant writing
and responsible conduct of research. Supervised clinical experience in environmental pediatrics is offered to
ensure that research training is grounded in clinical translational principles. Formal evaluation of each fellow is
conducted semi-annually. An Executive Faculty Committee and an External Advisory Board are already in
place. Expected outcomes include authorship of 1-2 research manuscripts, authorship of 2-3 posters or
platforms at national meetings, development in year 2 of a K grant proposal, and evidence of transition toward
independent investigator status. This program builds on a unique base of children's environmental health
research, including a Child Health Exposure Assessment Resource (CHEAR) Lab Hub, the CHEAR Data
Center, an NIH P30 Core Center, nearly a dozen child health research cohorts, a Pediatric Environmental
Health Specialty Unit, and a unique Exposome Lab that specializes in exposure biomarkers. In the past 9
years, our program has successfully recruited 19 fellows and graduated 12 (6 are act...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10199759
- **Project number:** 5T32HD049311-15
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert O Wright
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $418,677
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-07-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10199759

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10199759, Research Training Program in Environmental Pediatrics (5T32HD049311-15). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10199759. Licensed CC0.

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