Reducing lead exposure to protect children's learning and behavior in Santa Ana
Inequities in Childhood Life-Course Lead Exposure and Academic and Neurobehavioral Outcomes (I-CLEAN)
This project looks at how past and current lead exposure among children in Santa Ana relates to school performance and behavior, and works with the community to reduce soil lead and support learning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11379988 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Local researchers partnered with the community-based Lead-Free Santa Ana group to map soil lead levels and link those exposure measures to children's school records and neurobehavioral tests. They will use repeated outcome measurements across childhood and consider timing of exposure, combined metal mixtures, and factors at the household, school, and neighborhood levels. Analysis will identify harmful exposure patterns and functional effects on learning and behavior. The team will co-develop and implement a prevention and improvement plan with community input to reduce soil-based lead exposure and support affected children's academic success.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children who live or attend school in Santa Ana, especially those in older housing, near freeways, or industrial areas, are the primary candidates for participation.
Not a fit: Children who do not live in the Santa Ana area or whose lead exposure comes from non-soil sources may not directly benefit from the local soil-focused interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lower children's lead exposure in Santa Ana and improve academic and behavioral outcomes through targeted community and environmental actions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked childhood lead exposure to poorer cognitive and school outcomes, but this community-driven, life-course soil-focused approach with repeated measures and mixture analysis is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Jun — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Wu, Jun
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 below.