The University of Iowa is launching a new research initiative July 1 aimed at studying environmental risk factors and their connection to health outcomes across the state, with Iowa ranking second in the nation for cancer rates.
The Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking — known as Iowa INSIGHT — will be funded by a $5 million founding gift from Sharon and Kyle Krause and a $1 million contribution from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, building toward a $10 million program. The initiative is a collaboration between the UI Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination and IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering.
“As lifelong Iowans, Kyle and I are deeply committed to seeing this state and its people thrive,” Sharon Krause said. “By supporting this work, we hope to help generate the insights needed to drive meaningful change, inform future decision-making, and improve health outcomes across Iowa.”
David Cwiertny, the William D. Ashton Professor of Civil Engineering and director of CHEEC, will lead the initiative. His research focuses on watersheds, water treatment, and the movement and fate of pollutants including pesticides and so-called forever chemicals. Mr. Cwiertny, who moved his family to Iowa from California in 2011, said the program represents an opportunity to give back to the state.
“There’s an opportunity here to make sure we can contribute to help Iowa, the place that we came to and never wanted to leave,” Mr. Cwiertny said. “It’s very fulfilling.”
Larry Weber, the Edwin B. Green Chair in Hydraulics and director of IIHR, will also play a leadership role. Weber has a background in water resources, flooding, water quality and watershed processes.
“This program represents a bold vision for Iowa’s future — one that will deliver real, measurable benefits and improve the lives of Iowans for generations to come,” Mr. Weber said.
Iowa INSIGHT will focus on four areas: environmental monitoring of air and water, biomonitoring to measure environmental chemicals in human tissues and fluids, epidemiology and data science to study links between environmental exposures and health outcomes, and public knowledge sharing through online data access and statewide events.
The program will prioritize research into maternal and newborn health, neurodevelopment and autism-related outcomes in addition to cancer. A national advisory committee will provide guidance to the initiative.
