Standing Committee on the Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions

Workshop

The Promise of Single Cell and Single Molecule Analysis Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research: A Workshop

March 7 - 8, 2019

Past

Agenda

About

Watch full workshop here: Video Playlist

How similar are the cells within a particular tissue? Most analytical tools study cells and their molecular contents in bulk, providing information about the average cell and molecular complexes. Now, emerging findings suggest these traditional approaches could miss important differences between the cells in a sample, rare cell types like cancer stem cells or drug-resistant bacteria, and the opportunity to capture a cell in a fleeting transitional state.

Over the past decade, new single cell and single molecule analysis tools have led to advances that isolate single cells, technologies that can assay each cell’s DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites, and imaging tools that map cell contents and their molecular interactions. These tools promise new insight on the differences in function between individual cells and molecules, the organization and timing of responses to stimuli, how cells interact as components of a complex system, and how these interactions may change with age, disease, and exposure to environmental stressors.

This workshop explored the current status of this rapidly evolving field of study, reviewed the preliminary use of single cell and single molecule analysis tools in environmental health studies, and investigated the resources needed to make the data generated most useful to the biomedical and public health fields and to regulatory decision makers.

Held in Washington D.C. and webcast live, the workshop included presentations and panel discussions on topics such as:

What does single cell and single molecule analysis enable researchers to do better, for example in terms of precision, accuracy, and speed?
What kinds of environmental health questions or challenges could be explored with single cell and single molecule detection tools and analysis?
What are the key goals to advance or improve single cell and single molecule tools, particularly as they pertain to environmental health research and decision needs?
What are the key barriers or limitations to the use of data emerging from the use of single cell and single molecule detection tools, for example in terms standards, comparability across technologies, and the limit of detection uncertainties?

Organizing Project

The Promise of Single Cell and Single Molecule Analysis Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research: A Workshop

Contact

Keegan Sawyer

eseh@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Understanding the Interplay of Environmental Stressors, Infectious Disease, and Human Health: A Workshop

January 15 - 16, 2019

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Watch full workshop here: Video Playlist

Infectious diseases are among the top five leading causes of death worldwide. What factors contribute to the spread of infectious disease? How do those factors contribute to patterns of disease emergence or re-emergence? Answers to these questions are critical for protecting human health.

Scientists have long known that the environment plays a defining role in the spread of infectious disease. For example, flooding could increase the populations of mosquitoes that carry malaria. But, could environmental stressors also play a role in human susceptibility to infection? Emerging findings suggest that environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and airborne particulate matter may weaken the immune system. Emerging evidence also suggests that exposure to some pollutants may reduce vaccine effectiveness. But, environmental health, the study of the effect of the environment on human health, is rarely combined with the study of infectious diseases. Research on the interplay between these fields could inform new health practices, public health research, and public health policy.

This workshop brought together infectious disease, global public health, toxicology, environmental epidemiology, and science policy experts to explore the growing body of research on the links between environmental stressors, infectious disease, and human health. The workshop featured presentations, panel discussions, and breakout sessions to engage scientists and decision makers in this important, cross-disciplinary issue.

Organizing Project

Understanding the Interplay of Environmental Stressors, Infectious Disease, and Human Health: A Workshop

Contact

Keegan Sawyer

eseh@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Informing Environmental Health Decisions through Data Integration Workshop

February 20 - 21, 2018

Past

Agenda

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About

This workshop brought together scientists, policymakers, risk assessors, and regulators to explore the promise and potential pitfalls of environmental health data integration. Workshop speakers presented on a general framework for data visualization, and participants worked together to conceptualize future research directions that could help incorporate these analyses into environmental health decision-making.

Watch the recorded workshop.

Read the proceedings in brief.

Organizing Project

Emerging Approaches to Integrate Human Clinical and High Throughput In Vitro Data

Contact

Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions Staff

ESEH@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

The Promise of Genome Editing Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research Workshop

January 10 - 11, 2018

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

This workshop brought together experts in molecular biology, toxicology, and public health to explore opportunities for using genome (and epigenome) editing technologies in environmental health research. Participants discussed genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 and their applications to help unravel the mechanisms through which environmental stressors affect human health, including developing models of health and disease, testing chemicals for toxicity, and determining mechanisms of toxicity. Speakers also explored how research that leverages genome editing tools might inform different types of decisions, including for risk assessment and environmental policy.

Watch the recorded workshop.

Read the proceedings in brief.

Organizing Project

Emerging Genome Editing Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research

Contact

Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions Staff

ESEH@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Understanding Pathways to Paradigm Shift in Toxicity Testing and Decision Making: A Workshop

November 20 - 21, 2017

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

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This workshop explored key factors that influence how scientists, policymakers, risk assessors, and regulators incorporate new science into decision-making.

The workshop resulted in a workshop proceedings, written by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.

View the recorded workshop here.

View the proceedings in brief here.

Organizing Project

Understanding the Paradigm Change at the Interface of Emerging Sources of Environmental Health Data and Decision-Making: A Workshop

Contact

Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions Staff

ESEH@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Advances in Causal Understanding for Human Health Risk-Based Decision Making: A Workshop

March 6 - 7, 2017

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

New molecular and bioinformatic approaches have advanced understanding of how
molecular pathways are affected by exposure and the molecular networks involved in disease. However, these advances are often not yet deemed sufficient to establish causality for public health risk assessments; regulators still rely primarily on traditional apical endpoints, such as those endpoints observed in animal studies.

This workshop discussed the current thinking surrounding causal models, how novel approaches and tools are relevant for environmental health, and how they can be incorporated into the decision making process. Environmental health experts, toxicologists, statisticians, sociologists, epidemiologists, regulators, were joined by experts from other fields that utilize different data streams for establishing causality in complex systems.

Watch the recorded workshop.

Read the Proceedings-in Brief.

Organizing Project

Enabling Inference-Based Decision Making in Environmental Health: Prediction vs. Observation: A Workshop

Contact

Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions Staff

ESEH@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Personal Environmental Exposure Measurements: Making Sense and Making Use of Emerging Capabilities Workshop

November 16 - 17, 2016

Past

About

The increased availability and accessibility of personal environmental exposure data raises a wide range of questions about why and how lay publics assess the collected data to inform personal decisions about their health. The workshop brought together environmental health researchers, social scientists, business and consumer representatives, science policy experts, and other professionals at the forefront of emerging technologies, ethics, science communication, and public engagement. Workshop participants provided an overview of the trends, tests, technologies, and other emerging capabilities that enable access to individual-level environmental exposure data.

Organizing Project

New Technologies and Engagement Approaches to Enhance Research on and Communication about Individual Environmental Health Data

Contact

Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions Staff

ESEH@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

The Interplay Between Environmental Exposures and Mental Health Outcomes - A Workshop

This virtual workshop brought together experts in mental health and environmental health research to explore emerging research on the relationship, harmful or beneficial, between environmental factors and mental health.

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Standing Committee on the Use of Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions

News and Updates

The Promise of Single Cell and Single Molecule Analysis Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research: A Workshop

Understanding the Interplay of Environmental Stressors, Infectious Disease, and Human Health: A Workshop

Informing Environmental Health Decisions through Data Integration Workshop

The Promise of Genome Editing Tools to Advance Environmental Health Research Workshop

Understanding Pathways to Paradigm Shift in Toxicity Testing and Decision Making: A Workshop

Advances in Causal Understanding for Human Health Risk-Based Decision Making: A Workshop

Personal Environmental Exposure Measurements: Making Sense and Making Use of Emerging Capabilities Workshop