Thursday night saw the ribbon cutting ceremony at RTI International’s new campus in Research Triangle Park. The Durham-based research giant has partnered with Central, its neighbor in Durham, to create a shared lab space that will study the impact of the environment on health and disease, and the disproportionate impact it has on underserved communities.
RTI President and CEO Tim Gabel stated that “One of the things we know is that there are marginalized populations that go back generations.” “And this allows NC Central, RTI International… and the nation, frankly, to benefit by the research in the lab.”
It brings together scientists from Central and RTI to investigate the molecular causes and breakdowns of toxic chemicals and intoxicants. This is a common problem in low-income communities that are primarily composed of Hispanic and Black residents. It is called the Center for Applied Research in Environmental Sciences (or CARES).
Deepak Kumar, director of Central’s Julius Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Institute, stated, “CARES, what are we intending to do? Not only address these exposure intoxicants on the molecular level, but also address how can we educate our communities and how can we address these issues from an environmental justice perspective.”
Durham has suffered from discriminatory environmental wrongs throughout history. In fact, three of the four city trash incinerators were in Black communities. This was also the case in the 1930s, when city leaders removed Black neighborhoods from a plan to beautify the streets with new trees.
The CARES lab promises not to just look at the science, but will also be focusing on accountability.
“It’s not enough to just say that this community was exposed to chemics x,y,z, or mixtures x,y,z. Keith Levine, RTI’s senior director of Analytical Sciences, said, “What are you going to do about it?”
The partnership is also a major boost for North Carolina Central and Historically Black College and University in their bid to be recognized as a research university.
Johnson Akinleye, NCCU Chancellor, said that it was a “major partnership”. “We made a concerted effort. We are also doing significant research at our institution. We may not be a leader, but we are making a significant contribution to our institution’s research.
More specifically, Central students who will be studying here — will need to contribute their weight. Another goal is to create the next generation of environmental scientists.
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