Reflections on the NIEHS Virtual Consortium funding mechanism (ViCTER) and what it has taught us about the future of transdisciplinary science

Authors

• Almudena Veiga-Lopez, Department of Pathology, Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
• Hanna E. Stevens, Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
• Matthew Rand, Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
• Ronald Tjalkens, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.Follow
• Birgit Claus Henn, Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
• Carmen J. Marsit, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
• Alison I. Bernstein, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
• Matthew R. Bonner, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
• Hanne M. Hoffmann, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
• Jaymie R. Meliker, Department of Family, Population, & Preventive Medicine, Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA. Electronic address: jaymie.meliker@stonybrook.edu.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

In environmental health science, collaboration across disciplines is often encouraged but rarely specifically solicited through funding mechanisms. The United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Virtual Consortium for Translational/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research (ViCTER) program fostered and promoted early-stage transdisciplinary collaborations among basic, clinical, and population-based researchers in the environmental health field. ViCTER awards are typically three-year R01 grants that include at least one NIEHS-funded PI and engage partners from distinct disciplines or institutions. By design, ViCTER created space for scientifically diverse research teams, including epidemiologists, clinicians, toxicologists, molecular biologists, often across multiple institutions, to work side-by-side, not sequentially, to address complex environmental challenges. This commentary reflects on how ViCTER catalyzed scientific advances, transformed careers, and created a model for the future of translational environmental health research.

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; United States; Interdisciplinary Research (economics, trends); National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (U.S.) (economics, trends); Research Support as Topic; Translational Research, Biomedical (economics, trends); Environmental Health (economics, trends); Translational Science, Biomedical (economics, trends)

Publication Date

12-1-2025

Publication Title

Toxicology

E-ISSN

1879-3185

Volume

518

First Page

154283

PubMed ID

40972998

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.tox.2025.154283

Recommended Citation

Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Stevens, Hanna E.; Rand, Matthew; Tjalkens, Ronald; Claus Henn, Birgit; Marsit, Carmen J.; Bernstein, Alison I.; Bonner, Matthew R.; Hoffmann, Hanne M.; and Meliker, Jaymie R., "Reflections on the NIEHS Virtual Consortium funding mechanism (ViCTER) and what it has taught us about the future of transdisciplinary science" (2025). Translational Neuroscience. 2604.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurobiology/2604