Border Health Research

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Border Health Research

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Research Assessment Program
• November 9, 2006
• University of Texas at El Paso

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Pablo Arenaz Vice Provost and Dean of the
Graduate School Director Border Biomedical
Research Center
Roberto A, Osegueda Vice President for Research
Harry Meeuwsen Interim Dean College of Health
Sciences
Michael Eastman Dean College of Sciences
Robert Anders Dean School of Nursing Director Hisp
anic Health Disparities Research Center
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Introduction

• The border health program is a recognized
  resource for the region and also represents a
  vital state and national resource.
• Many of the health problems once identified only
  with border regions are now found throughout the
  U.S.
• UTEPs program in Border Health Research is
  gaining national recognition as a result of the
  importance of Border Health in Texas and overall
  impact on national health problems related to
  Mexican immigration throughout the United States.
• New initiatives from state and national levels to
  strengthen the capacity of universities to
  achieve their goals in both border health
  research and education must be forthcoming

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Major Health-Related Extramural funding
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Border Health Research Mission

• Provide the investment needed for the support of
  interdisciplinary bioscience and health science
  research in the pursuit of applied and clinical
  solutions to health related problems of the
  U.S./Mexico border region.
• The goals are to increase the knowledge and the
  research base
• Specific objectives include
• develop new and support existing
  interdisciplinary basic, applied, and clinical
  research programs that are related to border
  health and environmental problems
• to recruit and invest in new and existing
  biology/health science faculty whose research
  agendas fit the border health program
• and to seek external funding required to support
  research on border health issues.

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History

• Created in FY 2002
• Original purpose
• Provide support for public service related to
  health and environmental problems that
  disproportionately affect Hispanics and residents
  in general of the U.S./Mexico border region
• Expanded purposes
• continue to emphasize border health challenges,
  developing both faculty and graduate research
• new emphasis on countering the threat of
  bio-terrorism (BT), in collaboration with UTMB
• working with the El Paso City/County Health
  Department Regional Laboratory to coordinate
  responses to BT threats.

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• The Border Biomedical Research Center has been
  the centerpiece to leverage and build capacity
  for the conduct of biomedical research.
• The College of Health Sciences and the School of
  Nursing have been used as the foundation to build
  capacity and increase productivity in areas of
  public health.
• CHS has also provided a foundation for expanding
  public health and clinical research programs
  through the Hispanic Health Disparities Research
  Center and helps coordinate health-related
  research in a number of departments at UTEP
  (e.g., the institutions Interdisciplinary Health
  Forum).
• Faculty members in the BBRC and CHS have been
  joined by colleagues in chemistry, engineering
  and liberal arts in the border health research
  effort.

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Organization Prior to September 1, 2006
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Organization After September 1, 2006
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Hispanic Health Disparity Research Center

• In partnership with the UT Houston School of
  Public Health
• Mentoring and training through collaboration
  across academic institutions
• Health researchers focused on Hispanic health
  disparities
• Innovation in health disparities research.
• Funded by NIH, DHHS and National Center for
  Minority Health and Health Disparity.

http//hhdrc.utep.edu/
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Hispanic Health Disparities Research Center
(HHDRC)

• Primary purpose is to facilitate research related
  to Border health disparities.
• The HHDRC has administrative, research and
  dissemination cores
• Include faculty from both UTEP and the University
  of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, School
  of Public Health.
• Through the cores and support staff, the Center
  provides infrastructure support for researchers,
  pilot funding for promising research, mentoring,
  and assistance with disseminating research
  findings.
• HHDRC has a national Advisory Board of experts
  related to Hispanic health disparities and
  research methodologies.
• The Center holds an Annual Summer Institute that
  features faculty development activities presented
  by leading experts in Hispanic health disparities.

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Border Biomedical Research Center

• The mission of the BBRC is to facilitate and
  expand the pathobiology research at UTEP by
  strengthening the research infrastructure of the
  institution. The BBRC, through collaborative
  efforts with nearby institutions, has become the
  focal point of pathobiology research that
  addresses the biomedical and health issues of the
  bicultural population of the El Paso/Ciudad
  Juarez region of the Texas-Mexico border.
• The BBRC has a formal advisory committee that
  includes local, national, and international
  experts on health issues affecting the Texas
  Mexico border region. The entire committee meets
  once a year to review the accomplishments of the
  BBRC and its faculty and to provide direction for
  future efforts. Local board members participate
  in additional meetings through the year.

http//research.utep.edu/Default.aspx?aliasresear
ch.utep.edu/bbrc
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BHR Funds
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Border Health - FTE
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FTEs
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People supported by BHR

• Lisa Bain, Associate Professor of Biology (FY
  2004, 2005)
• Maria Duarte-Gardea, Assistant Professor of
  Health Promotion (FY 2004 and 2005)
• Patrick Gurian, Assist. Prof. in Civil
  Engineering (Public Health) -- Departed in Aug.
  2004 (FY 2004)
• Wen-Yee Lee, Asst. Prof., Environmental Chemistry
  (FY 2004, 2005 and 2006)
• Juan C. Noveron, Asst. Prof., Chemistry (FY 2004,
  2005, 2006)
• John Walton, Prof. of Environmental Engineering
  (FY 2004)
• Jianging Zhang, Asst. Prof, Biology (FY 2004)
• Rodrigo Armijos, Clinical Research Professor,
  College of Health Sciences (FY 2005),
• Maria Amaya, Professor of Nursing (FY 2006)
• Armando Gonzalez, Research Prof., College of
  Health Science, Pharmacy (FY 2006)
• Jorge Ibarra, Research Professor, College of
  Health Science (FY 2006)
• Rosana Lopes, Assist. Research Prof., Clinical
  Laboratory Sciences, CHS (FY 2006)
• John Bretting, Assoc. Prof., Master of Public
  Administration (FY 2006)
• William Lewis, Lecturer, Clinical Laboratory
  Sciences (FY 2006)

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Lisa Bain

• Determining ATP-dependent transport protein
  regulation and how this affects the metabolism,
  disposition, and elimination of drugs and
  toxicants
• Elucidating how metals and pesticides in the Rio
  Grande are impacting aquatic and human health
• Using cDNA arrays to ascertain what genes are
  being altered after exposure to metals and PAHs

Funded by NIH and NIEHS
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Maria Duarte-Gardea

• Nutrition Education During Pregnancy In Mexican
  American Women (Funding NIH/NCMHD)
• Studying the effectiveness of a culturally
  sensitive nutrition education program in Mexican
  American pregnant women
• Results will help design culturally sensitive
  programs to improve pregnancy outcomes
• Health Effects Of Chronic Exposure To Fluoride In
  Drinking Water In Northern Mexico (Funding
  SCERP/ US EPA)
• Evaluating health effects of chronic fluoride
  exposure from drinking water in adolescents
  living in Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua Mexico
• Results may impact public policy regarding
  fluoride levels in drinking water

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Maria Duarte-Gardea

• A Pilot Study To Investigate the Associations of
  Fiber and Estrogen Levels In Mexican and Mexican
  American Women (Funding Center for Border Health
  Research)
• Studying womens consumption of fiber and
  incidences of breast cancer in Mexican American
  population
• Results may help design nutrition education
  programs focused in the prevention of breast
  cancer

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Patrick Gurian (Community-Based Public Health
Research)
Dr. Patrick Gurian Assist. Prof. Civil Engineering

• Patrick Gurian worked on a variety of
  community-based public health projects, mainly in
  peri-urban, low-income, disadvantaged and
  under-served neighborhoods on both sides of the
  border. 
• Assessed household behaviors and environmental
  health conditions in targeted communities, and
  developed responsive training programs that
  emphasized train-the-trainer concepts using
  appropriate technologies, culturally-appropriate
  language, and readily affordable and available
  resources. 

In collaboration with CERM, College of
Engineering, College of Health Sciences, the Paso
del Norte Health Foundation, the Center for
Border Health Research, Johnson and Johnson, the
UT Houston School of Public Health, and the
Southwest Consortium for Environmental Health and
Policy (SCERP),
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Community-Based Public Health Research (contd)
Dr. Patrick Gurian Civil Engineering

• In one project he assessed the significant health
  risks of winter-time carbon monoxide poisoning in
  Ciudad Juarez (annually more people died of CO
  poisoning in Juarez than in all the United
  States) and helped design an appropriate and
  effective public health outreach program.  In
  areas without water service he assessed small,
  multi-household water treatment systems as well
  as solar composting toilets and other waterless
  onsite sanitation systems.   

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Wen-Yee Lee (Env. Chemistry)

• Dr. Lee studies fate and transport of persistent
  organic pollutants (POPS) in soil, air, and
  water/sediment, with a special emphasis on the
  impact of dietary and non-dietary exposure to
  POPs on public health.
• Mechanism of plant uptake of POPs.
• Phytoremediation/Bioremediation for POPs
• Current Funding
• Department of Energy
• SCERP/EPA
• Significance
• POPs persist in the environment, bioaccumulate
  through the food chain, and have
  endocrine-disrupting and other toxic effects on
  biota. On-going efforts are focus on
  understanding the cycling of POPs in the
  environment and their impact on human health.

Wen-Yee Lee, Ph.D. Env. Chemistry Assistant
Professor
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Juan Noveron (Gene Capsules for DNA Vaccines)

• Development of novel metal-mediated gene
  transfection systems for eukaryotic cells.
• These gene-delivery nanosystems will have
  applications towards a rapid and cost-effective
  production of vaccines.

Juan C. Noveron, Ph.D. Assistant
Professor Chemistry
Lizanell Colbert Coldwell Foundation
Grant American Chemical Society Petroleum
Research Grant Award Stanford Synchrotron
Radiation Laboratory Award National Institute of
Health (GM66504-01)
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Dr. John Walton (Env. Science Eng.)

• Correlation of Ambient Particle Composition with
  Cytokine Induction in Cultured Lung Cells
• EPA-funded project with Univ. of Utah
• Integrated field ambient sampling and cell
  culture laboratory study
• Particulate matter in the Paso del Norte air shed
• Do chemical speciation measurements of ambient
  particulate matter (PM) correlate with cell
  culture assays used to assess the ability of
  particles to induce pro-inflammatory signaling
  (cytokines) in lung cells?

John Walton, Ph.D. Civil Eng. Professor
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Jianying Zhang (Cancer)

• Laboratory interests include the identification
  and characterization of cancer-related antigens,
  autoantibodies to cancer-associated antigens as
  markers for cancer diagnosis, and epidemiologic
  studies relating genetic, environmental, dietary
  and lifestyle factors to the etiology of liver
  cancer in Hispanic populations.

Jianying Zhang Assistant Professor Biological
Sciences
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Rodrigo Armijo
Immunology Molecular Biology of Infectious
Diseases

• Community health and development
• Prevention, treatment and control of parasitic
  and other infectious diseases
• Development clinical/field evaluation of
  vaccines, diagnostic product, treatments
• Dr, Armijos activities are also international

Rodrigo X. Armijos, MD, ScD Clinical Research
Professor Department of Health Promotion
"Impact of Nutritional Supplementation for
Improving the Nutritional Status, Cellular
Immnune Response, and Clinical Outcomes of
Hispanic Patients Treated for Tuberculosis with
Short-Course DOTS Therapy" NIH/NCMHD Hispanic
Health Disparities Research Center, 2004-2006.
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Maria Amaya (Environmental Health Research)
Dr. Amayas research has focused on environmental
health and the associations with soil and air
quality in border populations. Amaya colleagues
pioneered interdisciplinary NIH funded teams at
UTEP. Her expertise is in environmental
epidemiology. She is a charter member of NIH
Community Level Health Promotion (CLHP) Review
Panel, and Wakefield Professor of Health
Sciences.
Maria Amaya, PhD, WHCNP Professor, School of
Nursing
Principal Investigator Encuentros Binational
Community Lead Project, NIEHS (R01) 1.75
M UTEP-UNM HSC ARCH Program on Border Asthma
Core Project, NIEHS (S11) 5.1 million
Project leader in externally funded projects over
2 million dollars
Contributor in externally funded projects
totaling 11.5 million dollars
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Armando González Stuart, Ph.D.

• Researcher in herbal medicine (phytotherapy)
• Educating Seniors about the Risks of Polypharmacy
  and Polyherbacy in the Paso del Norte Region
  (Funded)
• Traditional Foods and Healthy Nutrition (Funded)
• Research interests include
• Potential herb-drug interactions
• Toxic plants and fungi
• Complementary and Alternative Therapies
• Ethnobotany

Research Prof., College of Health
Sciences Pharmacy Program
www.herbalsafety.utep.edu
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Jorge Ibarra, MD, MPH

• Collaborated with Dr. Robert Anders in a
  multistate pilot study on The Food Pyramid WIC
  Women Knowledge and Use. Data analysis in
  progress.
• Collaborated with Dr. Anders in the US-MX
  Minority Health International Research Training
  Program (MHIRT). Data analysis in progress.
  Project in progress.
• Collaborated with Dr. Robert Anders in a
  proposal, Multistate Peer Nutrition Education
  Trial among Latina WIC Participants. Funding
  Pending.
• Collaborated with Dr. Cardenas in a letter of
  intent on RFT Effect of H. Pylori Eradication on
  Iron Levels in US-MX Border Adults. Proposal in
  progress.

Research Professor College of Health Sciences.
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Rosana Lopes

• Dr. Lopes works in collaboration with Dr. Delfina
  Dominguez
• Incidence of Pertussis among Children with
  Persistent cough in the El Paso del Norte Region
  and Variation in Bordetella pertussis genes
• Studying incidence of pertussis by analyzing
  Bordetellae isolates for gene polymorphisms
  encoding two virulence factors pertactin (prnA)
  and pertussis toxin (ptxA)
• This research is in progress and would provide
  epidemiological data for the identification of
  pertussis cases and prevention of the infection.

Delfina C. Domínguez, Ph.D., Associate Prof.
Clinical Lab. Sciences
Rosana Lopes, PhD Research Assist.
Prof. Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Collaborators Erik L. Hewlett, MD, UVA Gilbert
A. Handal, MD, Texas Tech HSC Armando Campos,
MD, IMSS
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John Bretting

• Specialized training Women and Politics, Race
  and Ethnic Politics, Research Designs, Survey
  Research Methods, Field Research Methods, and
  Intergovernmental Relations.
• Development of Social Census indicators for El
  Pasos El Segundo Barrio including measures for
  a US/Mexico borderland communitys health care,
  social well-being, and economic well-being.
  Co-director Spring 2006 PAD 5367-
• Capstone Experience El Segundo Barrio and La
  Fes Community Development Corporation An
  Analysis of Current Conditions, Strengths, and
  Opportunities including implementation and
  analysis of basic social census indicators.

Assoc. Prof., Master of Public Administration
Program Institute of Policy and Economic
Development
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Summary

• The goals and objectives of the Border Health
  Research funding program are being met, thus
  helping the University continue building its
  Health-related programs
• New opportunities have arisen and have been used
  to leverage university resources to increase
  capacity, breadth, and quality of border health
  research and education programs.
• Also, additional new faculty have been recruited
  that have brought to UTEP, not only new federally
  funded grants, but the opportunity to build major
  competitive research programs with special focus
  on border health issues.
• These new acquisitions have prompted UTEP to
  increase the capacity and quality of its research
  facilities and administrative infrastructure to
  support research and related educational
  activities (e.g., the new biosciences facility).

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Summary

• The purpose of providing support for public
  service related to health and environmental
  problems that disproportionately affect Hispanics
  and residents in the U.S./Mexico Border Region
  are being met
• UTEP is responding to the regions critical need
  for healthcare professionals by establishing a
  number of health professions education program.
• To complement its education endeavors, and in
  consideration of the potential for growth and
  development of a local healthcare industry to
  support the regions economic development, UTEP
  organized its research capabilities to provide a
  platform to launch what is now one of its most
  rapidly growing and visible areasborder health
  research.

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Summary

• The ability of UTEPs biomedical and behavioral
  scientists to attract major extramural funding
  from federal sources on a competitive basis to
  promote research on border health, speaks highly
  of the programs general technical excellence,
  widely focused investigative capabilities and the
  overall quality of UTEP research facilities and
  administrative support infrastructure.

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