# Research Experience and Training Coordination Core

> **NIH NIH P42** · MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $76,807

## Abstract

The overarching theme of the Michigan State University Superfund Research Center (MSU SRC) is to
understand environmental, microbial and mammalian biomolecular responses to environmental contaminants
that act as ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The Research Experience and Training Coordination
Core (RETCC) aims to enhance the Center’s success by promoting collaborative, interdisciplinary research.
Disciplines represented include: Biochemistry, Computational Biology, Engineering, Data Management &
Analysis, Mol. Biology, Pharmacology, Soil Science, Social Science and Toxicology providing trainees with
integrated opportunities to value and seek new perspectives. Cross-training of students will be achieved through
a multifaceted training approach involving laboratory-based research plus formal and informal instruction. This
is designed to accelerate movement towards “Convergence” the third revolution in the biological sciences
(molecular biology being the 1st and genomics the 2nd) (Sharp et al., 2011) by bringing the biological sciences,
physical sciences/engineering and mathematics together. The MSU SRC is a paragon of this movement, as
evidenced by the collaborations leading to joint publications by the toxicologists, engineers and mathematical
modelers involved in the Project. Interdisciplinary research is accomplished by promoting nine Specific Aims: (1)
Monthly Virtual Laboratory meetings where the Michigan State, Emory, Purdue and Rutgers researchers link by
video conferencing, with emphasis placed on presentations by graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; (2)
a four-session interactive Seminar Series providing a conceptual and motivational framework for trainees to
appreciate the value of embracing multi-method, interdisciplinary research involving teams of diverse individuals;
(3) Diverse trainee recruitment and retention; (4) providing interdisciplinary training to students through (i) formal
instruction (a Computational Biology course, and a Physiologically-based Toxicokinetics course– both presented
as intensive three and five day hands-on short courses), (ii) a seminar series organized by the graduate
student/postdoctoral fellows who invite the speakers, and (iii) support travel to provide special educational
opportunities, visit a lab to learn a new technique; (5) a Systems Biology/Genomics Journal Club; (6) a one
semester course meeting 1 hour/week, focused on the social dimensions and communication of environmental
health research; (7) to provide basic introduction to data management and analysis; (8) to provide information
about the Center’s activities and trainees to the SRP on a quarterly basis; and (9) to institute procedures for
compliance with the requirement that all graduate students and post docs enter their relevant information in NIH’s
CareerTrac in a timely fashion. This package of activities serves as an innovating and coordinating hub to bring
together all involved in the SRC. If the coronavirus pan...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10353540
- **Project number:** 2P42ES004911-27A1
- **Recipient organization:** MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jamie J Bernard
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $76,807
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-04-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10353540

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10353540, Research Experience and Training Coordination Core (2P42ES004911-27A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10353540. Licensed CC0.

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