Michael B. Fessler, M.D.
Clinical Director and Chair - Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC);
Principal Investigator
[email protected]
Research Summary
Many human diseases result from environmental exposures that can affect individuals who are genetically susceptible to the development of a disease. NIEHS has an active research program that investigates the mechanisms of such diseases. The mission of the Clinical Research Branch is to enhance NIEHS-led research by:
- Translating basic laboratory findings to humans
- Studying interactions between genetic susceptibility (host factors) and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of complex human traits and diseases
- Identifying populations at risk and developing novel preventative and therapeutic strategies to combat human diseases
- View allClinical Studies performed by NIEHS
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The Clinical Research Branch pursues this mission by:
- Developing resources and systems for NIEHS investigators involved in the conduct of human investigation
- Fostering growth in clinical research and building new areas of collaboration between basic and clinical scientists
- Providing an effective interface between investigators, health care professionals, the clinical research unit and other clinical facilities in the Research Triangle Park area.
- Developing and conducting clinical research educational programs for investigators, coordinators and administrators
- Minimizing obstacles to translational research at NIEHS
The Clinical Research Branch supports multiple NIEHS research groups that focus on a wide variety of environmental conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, reproductive diseases, neurological disorders, cancer, and many others. The branch’s ultimate goal is to combat environmentally-induced human disease in three substantive ways:
- Developing better diagnostic tools to identify high risk populations for environmentally induced diseases
- Developing novel therapeutic strategies
- Developing novel preventative strategies
Key Components of the Clinical Research Branch
Clinical Research Unit, North Carolina
Our facility allows our scientists to conduct studies that involve on-site human sample collection, analysis and functional assessment.
NIEHS Medical Student Research Fellowships
NIEHS offers one-year research fellowships for third-year medical students for medical students to train at NIEHS.
Office of Human Research and Community Engagement
Supports NIEHS scientists by ensuring that human research subjects' protection is at the forefront of clinical research planning, and engages to enhance health resiliency, disease prevention, and health.
PEGS: Personalized Environment and Genes Study
The Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) integrates genetic and environmental data to understand disease etiology, identify disease risk factors, and improve disease prevention.
Contact
Lawrence S. Kirschner, M.D., Ph.D.
Medical Director, NIEHS Clinical Research Unit
[email protected]
Support Staff
