# Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) Data Center

> **NIH NIH U2C** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2022 · $251,633

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) provides the extramural research community
access to laboratory and statistical analyses to add or expand the inclusion of environmental exposures in their
research. Through these efforts, the HHEAR-Data Center aims to be a data science resource for the
environmental health community, maximizing the potential use, reuse and impact of environmental exposure
data. An integral part of this initiative, the HHEAR Data Repository was created to house all data generated
within HHEAR labs and provided by HHEAR investigators for epidemiologic and exposure studies within the
HHEAR network. Key strengths of this repository are the breadth of high-quality measurements of
environmental health data, harmonization of disparate datasets to a common vocabulary and customized
downloads that can be saved, stored and shared among users. To augment the Repository’s existing
capabilities, we propose two specific aims to enhance the use, utility and impact of the HHEAR Data
Repository. First, we will enhance the alignment of the HHEAR Data Repository with the FAIR (Findability,
Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability) Data Principles and the desirable characteristics of data
repositories detailed by the National Institutes of Health. We will then develop and implement evaluation
metrics designed to align with the FAIR Data Principles. These metrics will monitor use, utility and impact in
order to stimulate continuous improvement throughout the lifecycle of the HHEAR Data Repository. To
construct our enhancement plan, we conducted self-assessments of the Repository to evaluate its FAIR-ness,
desirable characteristics and utility of existing evaluation metrics. These self-assessments revealed gaps in
machine-readable metadata to describe the data-generating processes and detailed provenance of datasets
from HHEAR studies. Increasing accessibility to metadata, potentially through metadata explorers or
application programming interfaces, was identified as another target for enhancement. In addition, self-
assessments led to a recognized need for user surveys to augment existing usage metrics generated by
monitoring access and downloads within the HHEAR Data Repository. We propose clear milestones to
implement these and other planned enhancements during the supplement period. By increasing alignment with
the FAIR data principles and expanding evaluation metrics of the HHEAR Repository, we will be able to
maximize the benefit of the HHEAR program to the scientific community and provide the data infrastructure for
the next generation of exposome science.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10595949
- **Project number:** 3U2CES026555-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** SUSAN L TEITELBAUM
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $251,633
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2015-09-30 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10595949

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10595949, Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) Data Center (3U2CES026555-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10595949. Licensed CC0.

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