1

at Indiana State University:

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL &EVOLUTIONARYEPIDEMIOLOGY

~~~~ CEMEE ~~~~

Developing Strategies for a Center of Excellence

2CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

Steve Wolf Liz Brown

Diana HewsKathy Dannelly

Biology

Shiaw-Fen Ferng

Eli Bermudez

Applied Health Science

Qihao WengJen Latimer

Earth & Environmental Systems

Chemistry Mathematics

Carolyn Wallace

Science Ed

PI and co-PIs

Mission and VisionMission:

Emphasis on the environment Including mathematics and evolution and their relationships to epidemiology

Better prepare pre-medicine and pre-health professionals, basic biologists and environmental scientists in understanding the importance of an integrative approach to health, which includes applying knowledge from environmental and evolutionary perspectives to help solve human health challenges.

Vision: Provide the best educational experiences that result in competent

professionals in epidemiology, biology, environmental science and related STEM disciplines

Deliver outstanding scholarship and outreach services that enhance ISU’s strategic goals in diversifying revenue, retaining excellent faculty and staff, and engaging communities.

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY 3

Societal NeedsA number of “emerging diseases” challenge society. Such

emergences are often associated with degradation of the environment.

Education about these challenges and research into the pattern and causes of the health disorders is much needed.

ISU will capitalize on its programmatic developments for training health and environment professionals, and in its graduate programs in the sciences, by having a center devoted to research and education in understanding the patterns and causes of health challenges facing populations in Indiana.

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY 4

5

What is EPIDEMIOLOGY? • The study of patterns of health and illness and associated factors at

the population level.

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

Why emphasize ENVIRONMENTAL?• Many challenges to human health stem from human-caused changes

to the environment.

Why emphasize MATHEMATICAL? • Assists ISU and general community in understanding this core feature of

epidemiology, i.e., computational analysis of disease-associated factors.

Why emphasize EVOLUTIONARY? • Biomedical & health scientists need a deeper appreciation of

evolution, especially as it relates to evolution of virulence, evolution of antibiotic resistance, and evolution of homeostatic mechanisms related to development and to immune system function and health.

Environmental Concerns in the Wabash Valley• A legacy of industrial pollution

Terre Haute has several Superfund and Brownfield Sites polluted with heavy metals and organic solvents

• Soil-contamination with lead and arsenic & blood lead poisoning of children

• Detention ponds & combined storm-sewer system related issues• Wabash River fish polluted with toxic metals• InDNR state fishing areas on reclaimed strip mines have

toxic sediments harmful algal blooms

• Heavy use of agricultural & industrial compounds contribute to water pollution May dramatically affect developing fetuses.

6

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

Other ISU Departments : Math & Computer Science

(Liz Brown, Math education) Nursing (patient care) Psychology (Statistics;

Counseling; Cognitive disorder research)

Other Organizations:

IU Sch Medicine-Terre HauteRural Health Initiative

CollaborativeRiverScape Rose-Human Inst.

TechnologyVigo Co Public Health City of Terre HauteIN Dept Nat Resources

(Wabashiki Fish & Wildlife Area)

IN Dept of Public HealthIN Dept of Environmental

Management

Internal and External Collaborations Dept BIOLOGY

Post-Doc expertiseEndocrine Disruptors/Wetland

organismscurrent expertiseEndocrinology & Stress Physiology

(D Hews, G Bakken)Bacteriology /MRSA (K Dannelly)Biological Modeling (W Mitchell);

Biostatistics (G Bakken); Cancer (A Albig); DNA vaccines & Immunology (S Ghosh); Wildlife population health assessment (R Gonser, S Lima, J O’Keefe P Scott, E Tuttle)

Dept APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

current expertiseEnvironmental epidemiologists

(E Bermudez; S Ferng) Epidemiology

(B Barton; S Raychowdhury)

Dept EARTH & ENVIRONM. SYSTEMS

Post-Doc expertiseEpidemiologist w GIS strength

current expertiseGIS, remote sensing of Disease (Q Weng); Bioarchaeol. Health & Disease (S Phillips); Environmental geochemistry (S Brake); Riverscape, Remote Sensing (S Berta); Medical Geol, Environ. Geochem (J Latimer); Environmental Science; GIS (S Aldrich); Soils & Biogeography (J Speer)

7CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

Dept CHEMISTRYPost-Doc expertise Environmental geochemistrycurrent expertiseEnvironmental Chemistry (S Wolf); Structural Bioinformatics (J Inlow);

1. Advance Multidisciplinary Training & Education in CEMEE disciplines • Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE)

Increase the number of funded projects. New Junior Colleges Initiative: Attract students from SMWC, Ivy Tech,

Vincennes Universities, etc. to work with ISU faculties during the summer in SURE.

• Future Sycamores Initiative: High school teachers and students work with ISU faculties and graduate students in science projects.

• STEM summer camp: Offer health and environment related summer camps(s) for Grade 6-12 students.

• McNair Program: Partner with McNair program to enhance education for minority or first-generation college students in STEM disciplines, especially relating to health and environmental issues.

 • Science Education programs: Partnering with Sci Ed to

- Enhance learning opportunities for Science Education students; - Involve science teachers at high and middle schools.

8

Major Center Activities

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

2. Advance Research and External Funding in CEMEE-related projects • Coordinate 1-2 thematic, multi-year service-learning projects involving

multidisciplinary teams of students and faculty, with a west-central IN focus. • Leverage key aspects of the Center for external grant funding (student focused)• Increase contract funding on environmental issues.

9

Major Center Activities

Weekly meeting (part of a 499 course)Planning, progress updates; discuss topics/readings / challenges

a CEMEE project

Chemistry Biology EES Applied Health Sci

Discipline-specific Classes:

3. Curricular/Programmatic Development• Coordinate the service learning projects (undergraduate, graduate) across the

colleges. Research 499 course so all teams meet regularly during semester• Develop interdisciplinary major - Environmental Epidemiology• Develop certificate programs- GIS/Applied Health Science

4. Partnership Building • CEMEE will aid in enhancing community engagement by

establishing partnership with CEMEE related government agencies in Indiana, by working in partnership with academic institutes which have distinctive programs or related research in CEMEE disciplines (U AL Birmingham etc.) and with pertinent federal government agencies (e.g. NASA, and CDC).

10

Major Center Activities

5. Community Engagement & Outreach Efforts• “Update” presentations by students (UG, Grad) & Researchers at Vigo

County Public Library on CEMEE projects. • Children’s Museum - development “units” or presentations.• Website on CEMEE projects, providing public Health information. • Develop with Science Education, “units” for science classes in local

school-district. • Visiting Scientist Lecture Series at ISU campus and Landsbaum

Center for Health Education (Union Hospital).• Creating an Educational Center at Riverscape.

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY