Emerging Chemical Threats to Human and Environmental Health
Program Overview
Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) of UL Research Institutes (ULRI) is interested in research aimed at understudied environmental health issues and the development of sampling, analytical, or toxicological methodologies to address challenging environmental contaminant/chemical exposure scenarios.
Award Information
Type of Award: Competitive grant
Number of Awards Given: Up to 2
Funding Amount: Up to $200,000 a year
Duration of Award: 3 years
Key Dates
Feb. 16, 2024 (by 11:59 p.m. EST): Letter of intent submission due (required)
May 10, 2024 (by 11:59 p.m. EST): Full proposal deadline
Key Resources
Full Notice of Funding Opportunity
Program Terms and Conditions (updated April 1st, 2024)
Application Submission Instructions
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Background
Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) of UL Research Institutes, a nonprofit research organization—is dedicated to scientific research, publication, education, and communication on environmental exposures resulting from technologies and practices, their impact on human health and the creation of solutions. Our research efforts at Chemical Insights contribute to safe working, living, and learning environments for the betterment of societal well-being. We conduct our scientific research both independently and in collaboration with trusted research universities and leading experts, then transparently share this knowledge with scholars, public health advocates, and business leaders to establish standards and provide guidance on the safe development of products and emerging technologies.
Grant Purpose
The purpose of this research grant is to fund studies aimed at understudied environmental health issues and the development of sampling, analytical, or toxicological methodologies to address challenging environmental contaminant/chemical exposure scenarios. Chemical Insights Research Institute (CIRI) is devoted to assessing emerging chemicals of concern and technologies that pose a significant human exposure and health risk.
Outcomes of the proposed research should lead to a significant advancement in our understanding of environmental health issues along with:
- Standardized experimental design frameworks and protocols for both field and laboratory-based studies.
- Computational tools and databases to enhance laboratory assessments.
- Biomarker libraries that link chemical exposure to annotated proteins or metabolites.
- Chemical emission databases to provide empirical data for risk and exposure modeling.
Applicants are encouraged to select from one of the two focus areas:
Focus Area 1: Dangerous Beauty: Endocrine Disruption and Toxicity from use of Personal Care Products can include:
- Cosmetics
- Personal hygiene products
- Hair care products
Focus Area 2: Physicochemical and Toxicological Assessment of Microplastics in Water or Air
Eligibility Information
Who Should Submit Proposals:
All proposals should be submitted by an accredited college, university, government, or non-government organization (including not-for-profit and for-profit institutions) with recognized legal status in their respective country.
At ULRI, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical to who we are and what we represent as a leading safety science organization. We believe that our inclusivity fuels brilliance in innovation, creative problem-solving, and, ultimately, excellence in safety science discovery. Learn more about ULRI’s commitment to DEI.
ULRI encourages proposals from, or collaborations with, diverse research teams, including minority-serving institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other institutions with a predominantly underrepresented student population.
Who May Serve as PI:
The Principal Investigator (PI) must be an individual of the organization holding a full-time administrative or faculty role. The PI should continue in this role for the duration of the three years of the award. Multiple PIs can be added during this time.
The PI must NOT be:
- From a country under U.S. export control or sanctions;
- A previous employee of UL Solutions, ULRI, or UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) within 12 months prior to submitting a Letter of Intent for this program.