THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
The International Institute for Rural and Environmental Health (IIREH) is an interdisciplinary training and research organization for postgraduate study with a focus on agricultural and rural environmental exposures and health effects. IIREH provides fundamental and advanced training in environmental epidemiology, instruction in human exposure assessment and quality assurance methods, and advanced training and research opportunities related to acute and chronic respiratory diseases from industrial and agricultural exposures.
The International Institute was founded in September 1995 and is sponsored and based at the Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine (IPCM) in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Collaborating institutions include the University Medical School/Department of Social Medicine in Debrecen, Hungary; the National Institute of Public Health in Prague, Czech Republic; and the Jozef Stefan Institute/School of Environmental Sciences in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The Center for International Rural and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA is a co-sponsor of the IIREH.
The proposed training program will focus efforts in parts of Central Europe that are now emerging from more than 40 years of Socialist/Communist rule. This region is striving to establish market driven economic systems within the framework of democratic governments. Many observers consider Central Europe to be among the most heavily polluted areas of the world. Pollution sources are thought to be associated with human health effects such as decreased life expectancy and increases in mortality rates from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Tomas Trnovec, Director of the Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine summarizes the anticipated contribution of the IIREH. "...in all post-Communist countries, despite the presence of many good epidemiologists for infectious diseases, there continues to be a great lack of epidemiologists of noninfectious diseases. One of the targets of the [...] IIREH [is] to remove this educational gap. The problem with life expectancy and premature mortality of the population [...] in spite of its recognition for almost a decade, still seems to be very far from its final solution. There is real hope that the training of environmental scientists, health professionals, engineers, and policy-makers at the IIREH, in association with the University of Iowa and our neighboring collaborators will contribute to solutions to this issue."
A core of Central European environmental health professionals and educators will be trained in key disciplines, including environmental epidemiology, occupational health, industrial hygiene, rural environmental health, air and water quality engineering, agricultural medicine, health administration, occupational nursing, ergonomics, and rural sociology.
Five long-term trainees (one Ph.D. and four M.S.) will obtain degrees at the University of Iowa, who will then serve as the core in-country faculty for the International Institute. In addition, 15 environmental and health professionals from Central Europe will spend one semester on campus at the University of Iowa, taking classes and working with University of Iowa faculty to develop a series of one-week short-courses that will be presented at locations in Central Europe. While on campus, the environmental and health professionals will also work with University of Iowa faculty to develop research projects which will provide support for new lines of environmental and occupational health research, and to stimulate multidisciplinary research efforts in Central Europe.
Short-courses will train professionals and workers from many locations in Central Europe, both within the participating countries and neighboring countries. During the next few years, about 70 short-courses will be given in Central Europe covering approximately 20 relevant topics in environmental and occupational health. Short-courses may include the following titles:
A program designed for health care professionals, emergency responders, and health safety specialists to raise their level of awareness about pesticide toxicity and exposure reduction strategies.
A review of the important industrial and agricultural sources of respiratory irritants, monitoring methods, medical surveillance approaches to recognizing and preventing these exposures.
Selected advanced topics in case-control and cohort study design, analysis, and interpretation of environmental exposures and diseases.
Methods to evaluate the low life expectancy in Central European countries. Review applicable medical geography methods, statistical analyses, exposure measurement, and GIS approaches to addressing this issue.
Industrial Hygiene Monitoring Methods for Agricultural Industry
Review of appropriate sampling techniques, chemical analysis protocols, and statistical treatment of data for workers employed at the industry.
Ergonomics risk factors and how to reduce occupational injuries and illnesses which result from poor job design in various industrial, agricultural, and small business environments in Central Europe.
A comprehensive review of quality control and quality assurance practices in Western Europe, USA, and Central Europe. Recommended quality assurance policies and methods for the conduct of environmental and occupational health studies.
01 Cytotoxic immunity response in HIV infection, mechanisms decreasing cytolytic activity of NK cells and its regulation
RNDr. D.Stanekova, CSc.
02 Protection of inhabitants in radiation release accident
Ing. M. Vladar, CSc.
03 Natural antioxidants in prevention of oxidative stress induced disorders
RNDr. E. Ginter, DrSc.
04 Study of pathogenicity mechanisms of bacteria after exposure to new membrane active substances
RNDr. V. Majtan, CSc.
05 Influence of chlorinated fenols and cresols on health
Ing. M. Veningerova, CSc.
06 Development of laboratory methods for searching individuals with increased sensitivity to clastogenic effects of radiation
MUDr. M. Beno, CSc.
08 Effects of radiation on organism on subcellular level-biophysical indicator of damage
RNDr. M. Tatara, CSc.
10 Radiation load of the population
Ing. M. Fulop, CSc.
12 Transferable resistance to antibiotics in bacterias from patients and environment
Ing. K. Kralikova, CSc.
13 Influence of fibrous micromycetes metabolites on respiratory tract epithelial cells in vitro and their presence in textile factory workplace
MUDr. Z. Jesenska, DrSc.
16 Variability of genetic and reproductive load in human population and its relationship to environmental factors
RNDr. E. Szabova, CSc.
17 Molecular mechanisms of pathogenic effects of gramnegative bacterias
Ing. I. Ciznar, DrSc.
18 Biological impact of new materials and technologies used in welding
PhMr. M. Hurbankova, Csc
19 Study of enteral viruses biological and genetic characteristics in relationship to rise and development of pathologic changes in organism
MUDr. A. Petrovicova, CSc.
21 Monitoring and evaluating radiation load by selected sources
RNDr. D. Nikodemova, CSc.
22 Prevalence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Slovakia
MUDr. E. Mitrova, DrSc.
23 Etiopathogenesis and immunoreactive mechanisms influencing beginning and elimination of chronic viral infections
MUDr. D. Stancek, DrSc.
26 Chlorinated aromatic compounds in human organism in sample regions of Slovakia
Ing. A. Kocan, CSc.
27 Ergonomic adaptation of workplace in aspect of working comfort and prevention of locomotion apparatus diseases
RNDr. K. Hatiar, CSc.
28 Biological monitoring of persistant chemicals and their impact on health in selected population groups in Slovakia
Ing. J.Uhnak, CSc.
29 Effects of lead on the cognitive development of children
PhDr. E. Sovcikova, CSc.
30 Study and modeling of the fate of selected xenobiotics in organism
PharmDr. M. Kukan, CSc.
32 New approaches to the toxicological evaluation of xenobiotics
MUDr. M. Vargova, DrSc.
33 European longitudinal study of pregnancy and childhood - ELSPAC
Mgr. I. Valkyova
34 Participation of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance on nephropathy progression
MUDr. V.Spustova, DrSc.
35 Hypertension and ischemy of myocardia. Strategy of treatment based on influencing the factors of coronary risk and their pathogenic mechanisms
RNDr. J. Oravcova, CSc.
36 Chronobiological aspects of medicine
Prof. MUDr. M. Mikulecky DrSc.
37 Alternative methods for testing immunotoxicity of xenobiotics
MUDr. J. Kubova, CSc.
39 Clinical Pharmacology of new drugs: antimicrobial and other model drugs
Prof. MUDr. R. Dzurik, DrSc.
40 Impact of selenium on immunological profile of asthmatics
MUDr. F. Gazdik
41 In vitro interaction of immunocompetent cells with blood vessels and endothelial cells in inflammation process
Ing. E. Jahnova, CSc.
42 Immunomodulation treatment of chronic viral hepatitis (CVH)
Doc. MUDr. S. Nyulassy, DrSc.
43 Prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in young and elderly patients
MUDr. K. Raslova, CSc.
44 Investigation of occurrence and development of allergic diseases in relation to the environment
MUDr. E. Reichrtova, DrSc.
45 Follow-up survey in development of changes in immune and endocrine system in children and adolescents with Down Syndrome
MUDr. M. Sustrova, CSc.
46 Immunotoxicity of xenobiotics
Doc. MUDr. S. Nyulassy, DrSc.
47 Molecular and cellular toxicity of pesticides
RNDr. M. Dusinska, CSc.
48 Training and research collaboration in environmental and occupational health, with University of Iowa
Ing. I. Ciznar, DrSc.