NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) grant recipients are focused on advancing practical, real-world solutions to reduce exposures to hazardous substances and prevent disease. However, this requires a comprehensive understanding of complex environmental health problems.

In alignment with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative to expand innovative approaches that complement traditional research models, SRP-funded scientists are developing and using cutting-edge technologies that are expanding the toolbox for researchers to understand how and why hazardous exposures harm human health. 

This edition of the Science Digest highlights how SRP grant recipients are transforming the research landscape through advances in complex cell‑based systems, computational modeling, and other emerging methods that improve the precision and human relevance of chemical hazard characterization.

These New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are improving our ability to more accurately reflect human biological responses, strengthening the scientific foundation needed to protect public health, and enabling researchers to tackle questions that were previously difficult or impossible to answer.

Integrating these cutting‑edge approaches with traditional models is moving the field toward a more holistic understanding of environmental health, and toward more effective strategies to mitigate exposures and protect human health. 

While we are certainly making strides, there is still important work ahead. By combining advances in data science and technology with our growing understanding of human biology, we can fundamentally reimagine the way research is conducted — from clinical development to real-world application. 

Warm regards,

Michelle Heacock, Ph.D.
Director
Superfund Research Program