Integrative Health Sciences Facility Core
Dr. Kirby Donnelly, Director
James Burdine, Ph.D., Co-Director
Juan Castro, M.D., Co-Director
Donald J. DiPette, M.D., Co-Director

Overview:
The overall mission of the Integrative Health Science Facility Core (IHFSC) is to facilitate the translation of basic research findings into clinical and/or public health applications.   This Core is an extension of the previous Analytical Services Facility Core, which provided measurements of biomarkers in exposed populations.  The new Core expands prior functions and now includes direct support for studies to track the environmental disease burden in human populations.  By integrating the service of the Continuing Education and Outreach Core and the Genomics and Bioinformatics and Image Analysis Facility Cores, the IHSFC will facilitate collaborations between basic research scientists, clinicians, and local public health departments that will enhance our understanding of the impact of the environment on cancer and reproduction in selected rural and/or underserved populations.

Aims:

1.  Coordinate subject recruitment and sample collection for investigations into the gene-environment interactions affecting the health of rural and underserved populations.

2.  Provide analytical support to molecular toxicology and epidemiologic studies investigating biomarkers of exposure or early indicators of disease.

3.  Provide support for the establishment of archived banks of biological samples, including but not limited to blood cards, venous blood, placenta, and isolated DNA.

4.  Provide interface to clinical or community populations to enhance subject retention and compliance (in collaboration with the COEC).

Contact:
Dr. Kirby Donnelly
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
School of Rural Public Health
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center
MS 1266 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843-1266
Tel: (979) 845-7956
Fax: (979) 862-8371
Email: kdonnelly@cvm.tamu.edu