Global health hub to study pesticide exposure for agricultural workers in the MENA region and beyond
Official title: 1/2 - The Global Environmental and Occupational Health Research and Training Hub for the Middle East and North Africa Region (GEOHealth-MENA) - Lebanon
Funded at American University of Beirut · NIH-11300240 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A global training and research partnership will study how pesticides affect health and exposure in agricultural workers, with a focus on improving how we measure exposure and protect workers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | American University of Beirut NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Beirut, Lebanon) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $289,050 |
| NIH project number | 5U01TW012236-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11300240 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are agricultural workers in the United States who are exposed to pesticides and are willing to participate in exposure assessment and neurobehavioral testing.
✕Less likely to help
Workers not involved in exposure assessment or neurobehavioral evaluations may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project creates GEOHealth MENA, a collaboration between American University of Beirut, Yale, and University of Iowa to build research and training capacity in environmental and occupational health. It will collect multiple exposure measures, including direct observation, self-reports, wearable sensors, and urinary biomarkers, to understand pesticide pathways. The goal is to link exposure data with neurobehavioral outcomes using standardized methods and trained personnel. The program aims to produce generalizable evidence and prepare a skilled workforce in the region to advance worker protections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, workers' exposure risks could be better understood and mitigated, leading to enhanced safety guidelines and protections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have demonstrated that multi-modal exposure assessment can improve understanding of pesticide exposure and its health effects.
Where this research is happening
-
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nuwayhid, Iman a — American University of Beirut
- Study coordinator: Nuwayhid, Iman a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.