# Core Elements and Scientific Focus Areas Coordination Component

> **NIH NIH U2C** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $10,712,829

## Abstract

Well-designed research is urgently needed to examine the impact of environmental exposures on health
outcomes in children. To address these knowledge gaps, the Environmental Influences on Child Health
Outcomes (ECHO) program promises to leverage extant pediatric cohorts to test new hypotheses of how
environmental exposures impact pediatric health. The Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) proposes to
serve as the ECHO Coordinating Center (ECHO CC) to provide the organizational framework for the
management, direction, and overall coordination of all common ECHO activities. DCRI is uniquely poised to
lead this ambitious initiative. As the world’s largest academic research organization, DCRI manages nearly 30
active network and administrative coordinating center grants and has emerged as a leader in pediatric clinical
research. In order to facilitate innovative, rigorous study protocols tailored to the scientific hypotheses;
implement protocols across a network of pediatric cohorts; and provide study support to ensure high
quality study operations and timely completion, the DCRI will establish the ECHO CC Core Elements
and Scientific Focus Area Coordination Component (SFA Component). The ECHO SFA Component will
lead the development and implementation of ECHO-wide and Scientific Focus Area protocols. This will be
facilitated by DCRI’s extensive experience in 1) pediatric protocol development; 2) data harmonization; 3) site
training; and 4) collaborating with Vanderbilt University to support central IRB functions. To achieve this vision,
the SFA Component will establish three Teams that will develop and implement innovative studies for the
ECHO Program: 1) The Study Design Team will develop, review, and approve all ECHO-wide and scientific
focus area protocols; 2) The Study Start-up Team will facilitate the cIRB process, oversee site training, and
work alongside the ECHO Data Analysis Center, Biorepository, and CHEAR Cores to develop study
documents and plan for sample collection, storage, and testing; and 3) The Study Conduct Team will be
responsible for ensuring all study deliverables are completed on time and within the budget.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10488766
- **Project number:** 5U2COD023375-07
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Phillip Brian Smith
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $10,712,829
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-21 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10488766

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10488766, Core Elements and Scientific Focus Areas Coordination Component (5U2COD023375-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10488766. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*