Administrative Core

ABSTRACT (ADMINISTRATIVE CORE) The mission of the proposed Johns Hopkins Center for Community Health: Addressing Regional Maryland Environmental Determinants of Disease (CHARMED) is to provide a scientific and administrative infrastructure that facilitates the translation of fundamental environmental health research to knowledge and then to action to

address the environmental health concerns of communities in the Maryland region. The Administrative Core (AC), which will be led by two seasoned investigators, Marsha Wills-Karp PhD (Anna M. Baetjer Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, EHE) and

Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD (Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering, Director of the Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health), will ensure that the strategic mission of CHARMED is achieved. To this end, the AC will guide and support the formation and activities of the

four Thematic Research Groups (TRGs): (a) Cardiorespiratory Health and Airborne Contaminants; (b) Chemical Mixtures, Emerging Contaminants and Health; (c) Neurological Health; and (d) Community, Social, and Environmental Determinants of Health. Investigators in these thematic areas are encouraged to conduct

translational research that addresses environmental challenges of residents of the Maryland region leading to mitigation and prevention strategies to improve the health of communities in the region and beyond. The AC will promote the use of the Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC), and Exposure Characterization and

Modeling Core (ECMC), to address the environmental health concerns identified by the Community Engagement Core (CEC). To foster collaborations between Center members, community members, and/or the broader Maryland academic community, the AC will oversee programmatic activities such as seminars, workshops, and

symposia. The Director/Deputy Director will ensure open communication among the Cores and members, provide fiscal oversight, and provide stewardship of resources to maximize member productivity. Guidance in decision making processes will be provided by four committees, the Executive Committee (EC), the Internal

Advisory Committee (IAC), the University Leadership Council (ULC), and the External Advisory Committee (EAC). A central aim of CHARMED is to cultivate the careers of Early-Stage and Mid-Career Investigators in order to establish them as the next generation of environmental health scientists focused on community-engaged

research. The ESI Career Mentoring Program is designed to provide a transformative experience to ensure that our ESI will be equipped with the tools, resources (pilot projects) and skills required to be successful environmental scientists. The AC will also build environmental health (EH) research capacity by bringing

established investigators into CHARMED who are new to the field of environmental health. Through these collective activities, the AC is responsive to the NIEHS strategic plan, which stresses stewardship of resources and building the environmental health sciences professional pipeline.