# Chicago UP on the Environmental Health Sciences

> **NIH NIH R25** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2022 · $103,719

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Chicago’s South and West Sides represent one of the nation’s most notable urban environmental justice areas,
facing significant disparities in disease risk and outcomes. The need for environmental health research in
Chicago is highlighted by the dramatic racial/ethnic health disparities observed for multiple diseases and
outcomes. In 2017, the “ChicAgo Center for Health and EnvironmenT (CACHET)” was established – the first
NIH P30 Environmental Health Core Center in the Chicago area. As the CACHET infrastructure to support
scientific equipment, facilities, and other resources that can be shared among environmental health researchers
has grown, so have prospective training opportunities. Because a key CACHET goal is to reduce environmental
health related disparities among residents of Chicago and beyond, our theme is Mitigating Disparities in
Environmental Health- the ideal context for encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers
in environmental research. In recent years, CACHET has promoted multidisciplinary environmental health
research among clinician, laboratory, and population scientists to understand, evaluate, and ultimately reduce
environmental health related disparities among residents of the region and beyond. As such, a robust structure
is available to support the training of underrepresented undergraduates, with extensive research and mentoring
opportunities by CACHET investigators and ongoing research opportunities in conjunction with investigators
funded by the pilot projects program. Here, we propose to leverage CACHET infrastructure, energy, and its
growing research portfolio to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds
to pursue further studies or careers in EHS research through the Chicago UP on the Environmental Health
Sciences Program (Chicago UP on EHS). To accomplish this goal, we will: 1) provide 2-year mentored
research experiences and career/skill development to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds at the
undergraduate level (rising juniors from institutions across Chicago) to inspire and prepare them for further study
in the environmental health sciences; 2) provide opportunities for dissemination in Chicago communities as well
as in academic publications or presentations; and 3) create a strong and long-lasting network of support for
students throughout their career journeys. In addition to assembling a dedicated mentor team for each individual,
proving hands-on research training, and engaging support communities, we will also develop a detailed tracking
system to facilitate ongoing communication with program alumni and personalized assistance as needed. The
experienced leadership team has the scientific, educational, and established research programs necessary to
ensure the success of Chicago UP on EHS. Through the Chicago UP on the Environmental Health Sciences
Program, CACHET leadership are committed to positively impacting the career de...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10377413
- **Project number:** 5R25ES031873-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Habibul Ahsan
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $103,719
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10377413

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10377413, Chicago UP on the Environmental Health Sciences (5R25ES031873-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10377413. Licensed CC0.

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