Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) received a $221,941 Project Grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), awarded June 1, 2026, with a completion date of May 30, 2028. The grant supports research to enhance personal air pollution exposure data collection and analysis methodologies for mechanistic health research. Specifically, the project addresses limitations in conventional exposure assessments that rely primarily on mass-based metrics for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which fail to capture critical particle characteristics such as size distribution—a key factor influencing respiratory deposition patterns and toxicity. The research emphasizes the importance of ultrafine particles (UFPs) and their role in understanding health impacts from air pollution exposure.

This award aligns with NIEHS's mission to investigate how environmental exposures affect biological systems across the lifespan and translate this knowledge into strategies to reduce disease burden and promote health. RTI International's research deliverables will contribute to the development of improved exposure assessment technologies and methodologies that capture more nuanced particle characteristics, ultimately supporting epidemiological and mechanistic studies examining the health effects of environmental air pollution exposures. The project is performed at RTI's facility in Durham, North Carolina.