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URMC / EHSC / Cores and Facilities / Inhalation Exposure Facility

Inhalation Exposure Facility

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Our Mission

The lung as a portal of entry for airborne toxicants has been a focus of research at the University of Rochester since the Manhattan Project in the 1950s.  The purpose of the Inhalation Exposure Facility is to support basic and translational research about how airborne agents, by themselves or in combination with other factors, contribute to cumulative health risk across the lifespan. It was established to focus the combined skills of biology, chemistry, and physics that are critical for inhalation toxicology research.  The Inhalation Exposure Facility is directed by Dr. Alison Elder, an expert in inhalation toxicology and Director of the Toxicology Training Program.  Our objectives include:

  • Apply state-of-the-art methodology to generate well-controlled atmospheres (particles, liquids, gases, mixtures) for animal and human inhalation or cell culture exposures that are relevant to environmental or workplace conditions
  • Develop new or improved exposure or characterization methods
  • Provide the data that are necessary to assess respiratory tract and secondary target organ dosimetry, thus facilitating multidirectional translation

Services Provided

The Inhalation Exposure Facility is comprised of two operational units – the Animal Inhalation Unit and the Human Inhalation Unit – that enable the conduct of multidirectional translational studies.  Services include:

  • Expose animals, humans, and cells to the same atmospheres
  • Acute through subchronic inhalation exposures
  • Expertise on ultrafine/nanoscale particles
  • Unique models of early life exposure
  • Ability to concentrate ambient ultrafine/fine aerosols
  • Generate smoke-based aerosols (e.g., biomass, e-cigarette).

 

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Resources

The Environmental Health Sciences Center’s Inhalation Exposure Facility was established to focus the combined skills of biology, chemistry, and aerosol physics that are critical for inhalation toxicology research.

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Faculty and Staff

Our Inhalation Exposure Facility Faculty and Staff are here to help. For questions regarding the facility or setting up experiments please contact us.