The University of Iowa Superfund Research Program (ISRP) has received a five-year renewal of funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health. Based at the UI College of Public Health since 2005, the ISRP is a joint endeavor involving basic, mechanistic, and applied research projects in biomedical and environmental research areas addressing semivolatile polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The overall goal of the ISRP is to identify atmospheric sources, exposures, and potential consequences to human health of semi-volatile PCBs. To achieve this goal, the ISRP addresses volatilization, transport, and resultant exposure of lower halogenated PCBs, especially those PCBs that are associated with contaminated waters, former industrial sites, and buildings (especially school buildings). The program identifies routes of exposure with an eye to preventing or limiting exposure and ameliorating the effects.

New funding for the period 2015 – 2020 brings the total of NIH support for this effort centered at the University of Iowa to a sum in excess of $40 million.