Much of the work carried out by DTT is in support of the National Toxicology Program (NTP), an interagency partnership of the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and NIEHS.
The Division of Translational Toxicology's (DTT) Health Effects research aims to develop disease-focused environmental toxicology.
The intent is to apply novel tools in an integrated fashion and provide an evidence-based approach that allows us to identify and understand potential environmental contributors to contemporary and common diseases.
The following topics make up this strategic area of research.
Carcinogenicity Health Effects
Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death, and eliminating preventable cancers related to environmental exposures would have significant benefits to public health. Existing approaches for cancer hazard assessment rely extensively on data from whole animal tests that take years to complete and cost millions of dollars. To better protect public health, a scientifically robust framework is needed to characterize the carcinogenic risk posed by environmental exposures in a more human-relevant, predictive, and efficient manner.
Cardiovascular Health Effects
Chronic progressive cardiovascular disease is a primary cause of both disease and death in the U.S. and globally. Current approaches to environmental hazard assessment do not include specific tests of cardiovascular bioactivity and hazards despite growing evidence that environmental exposures contribute to the onset, risk, or progression of chronic cardiovascular disease. A defined approach is needed to illuminate how environmental substances may be contributing to contemporary and common cardiovascular diseases.
Developmental Neurotoxicity Health Effects
There is global consensus that neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other learning disabilities are rising in populations worldwide, and that environmental exposures may be contributing factors. Current hazard assessment methods to evaluate environmental compounds for developmental neurotoxicity potential are inadequate and do not capture the complexity of neurodevelopment. An integrated testing strategy for developmental neurotoxicity is needed to identify how environmental exposures may contribute to the rising rates of neurodevelopmental disorders.