Hypothesis Development
The purpose of the hypothesis development phase is to identify and synthesize
scientific evidence pertaining to a topic of interest to generate new research
questions and hypotheses. Evidence can come from basic laboratory research,
epidemiologic studies in populations, or previous intervention studies.
- Child & Adolescent Risk Factors for Young Adult
Alcohol Problems
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Alcohol abuse is responsible for a large proportion of health problems in this
country, and underage drinking is a risk that attracts many developing
adolescents and teens. The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding
of the relationships between early-onset drinking, psychosocial development, and
alcohol use in young adulthood.
- Osteoarthritis Initiative Study
National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoloskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of
arthritis and is a major cause of activity limitation and physical disability in
older people. This study will observe the disease in a population that is at
risk for developing or already has osteoarthritis. The results of this research
should aid with prevention of disease onset and progression and, ultimately,
create a public domain research resource to facilitate the development of new
diagnosis tools and drug development.
- Environmental and Molecular Epidemiology of Childhood Leukemia
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between environmental,
immune, and genetic risk factors for childhood leukemia and how these factors lead to
disease onset and progression. Detailed information
on immunity and residential exposures to chemicals, including pesticides and
persistent organic pollutants, will be available to aid in understanding
prevention strategies for childhood leukemia.
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Cognition-Related Risk Factors for Alzheimer's
Disease
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Many older persons without dementia, a condition which causes loss of cognitive
function, meet the criteria for Alzheimer's. This trend indicates that other
factors must be involved in determining the extent to which Alzheimer's disease
impairs cognition and decreases neural reserve (the ability to retain cognition
despite the onset of Alzheimer's disease). This study focuses on examining the
risk factors for Alzheimer's to provide more avenues for prevention.
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Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology for
Drug Abuse & Sexual Risk Behavior
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
The Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology (Ce-PIM) for Drug Abuse and
Sexual Risk Behavior is designed to accelerate research implementation using
methods that model complex interactions. To have a greater impact on community
and public health, Ce-PIM addresses the critical gaps in implementation of drug
abuse and HIV/HPV sexual behavior reduction programs to help move them from
research into practice.
- Nitrogen-Containing Drugs and the Risk of
Selected Birth Defects
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Congenital defects remain the greatest contributor to infant deaths, yet the
causes of these defects are largely unknown or poorly understood. This study
sets out to inform prevention efforts by examining the effects of prenatal
exposures to nitrates, nitrites, and nitrogen-containing drugs on
congenital malformations.
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Early Life Environmental Toxicant Exposure and
Oral Health
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
The environmental determinants of oral diseases remain largely unknown, although poor oral health is linked to diminished quality of life, as well as diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Metals are deposited in teeth, which may be used as biomarkers of exposure. This program will research how metal exposure affects oral health in children and adults, as well as investigate a way to identify prenatal metal exposure. This research has the potential to develop preventive measures for oral disease.
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Cotton Dust Exposure and Risk of Parkinsonism
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Parkinsonism is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions
of people worldwide. The causes of parkinsonism are largely unknown, but studies
have shown that endotoxin exposure from cotton dust is a risk factor for this
disease (endotoxins are chemicals released from bacterial decomposition). This
study sets out to analyze the risks, severity, and progression of this disease
among female textile workers in Shanghai.
- Novel Therapies to Prevent or Treat Blindness
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurs after retinal detachment or severe ocular
trauma and can lead to blindness. This condition is found in greater than 50 percent of
patients with perforating eye injuries. This study will investigate potential
therapeutic methods developed in the laboratory to prevent or treat this
condition, with the goals of advancing the field of research and changing the
standard of care for affected individuals.
- Development of an Ocular Herpes Vaccine
National Eye Institute (NEI)
A leading cause of blindness in developing countries is Herpes Simplex Virus 1,
which infects the cornea and then moves to neurons in the brain. This infection
can lead to a preventable blinding ocular disease. This study is aimed at
developing a therapeutic vaccine to prevent ocular herpes.