The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the US government's leading agency accountable for conducting studies focused on basic-science, disease-oriented research, global environmental health, clinical research, and multidisciplinary training for researchers.

The NIEHS is consistently working towards lowering the burden caused by human illness and disability through in-depth comprehension of how environmental factors could influence the creation and advancement of human diseases.

The NIEHS, in close cooperation with he National Science Foundation (NSF), has recently announced a funding opportunity entitled Centers for Oceans and Human Health (COHH).

The COHH program necessitates the solicitation of grant proposals which contain processes to address the difficulties involving oceans and human health.

The primary function of the COHH program is to provide linkages between people in ocean sciences and biomedical communities in the hopes of supporting interdisciplinary studies in locations where thorough understanding of marine processes and ecosystems harbor the possibility to reduce public health risks.

With the primary goal of improving the nation's knowledge concerning the impact of the ocean on human health, the NIEHS encourages interested applicants to submit proposals that will address Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) research and marine pollution, including the effects of chemical toxins, effects of global climate changes to the oceans, et cetera.

The COHH program plans to grant 3-4 awards with an estimated total budget of $4.2 million for the fiscal year 2012.

Interested applicants are asked to submit their applications electronically to the Grants.gov website. Deadline of submissions will be on November 22, 2011.

Institutions or organizations will be permitted to apply as long as they are any of the following:

a) Higher Education Institutions, either public/state controlled or private

b) Profit and Nonprofit organizations such as small businesses

c) local governments with the US and its territories and possessions

d) independent school districts

e) Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities

f) Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

g) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations

h) Regional Organizations

The COHH program is also driven by the NIEHS's desire to explore the end results of human exposure to environmental agents, thereby hoping that these studies will lead to:

a) the identification of agents that may be hazardous and contain the risk of giving humans diseases, disorders and defects;

b) the establishment of effective disease prevention strategies

c) the improvement of human health effects due to environmental agents

d) the development of products and technologies geared towards the better understanding of the effects of harmful environmental agents

e) and lastly, the successful education and training of research scientists in all areas of environmental health research.