• Pre-study consultations, e.g. database & questionnaire development
• Cohort tracking and management, facilitated access to human population resources
• Guidance through human subjects training and institutional review board (IRB) approval process
• Advice on quality assurance and other aspects of study planning
•
With the Biostatistics Facility Core — consultations on study analytical design and power with respect to data generated from biological assays
• Protocol development, performance of collection and processing of environmental and biological samples
• Performance and interpretation of assorted molecular biology assays
•
With the Exposure Factors Facility Core — temporary or archival cold storage for collected environmental samples
• Interface between other facilities offering testing platforms for:
> Genotyping on genome-wide and candidate loci scales
> Epigenomic characterization
> Expression profiling
> Metabolomics and proteomics capabilities relevant to environmental health science research
> Tissue specific measurements of chemicals
• Facilitated access for other methods not available in-house, e.g. animal and in vitro models and exposure facilities
Access to a broad range of assessment protocols, quality-controlled measurements and instrumentation, including:
• Standardized sociodemographic documentation
• Physiologic ascertainment – e.g. lung function, cortisol level, airway hyper-responsiveness
• Anthropomorphic determinations – e.g. body mass index, body composition by DXA and MRI scan
• Health status – e.g. asthma, allergy, obesity and metabolic syndrome
