Metals and Other Susceptibility factors (Mixtures/Social Environment): Center investigators have published some of the earliest studies on the IQ and Mn/As exposure in the United States (Wright, Amarasiriwardena et al. 2006). Results are similar to previous findings in Bangladesh (Wasserman, Liu et al. 2006; Wasserman, Liu et al. 2007) with respect to the associations, despite the fact that exposure levels in the US are considerably lower. Metals core investigators also published one of the earliest human studies of the effects of social environment (in this case maternal self-esteem) as a modifier of lead toxicity (Surkan, Schnaas et al. 2008), which confirms animals studies demonstrating that social environment can alter the toxicity of lead (Schneider, Lee et al. 2001; Guilarte, Toscano et al. 2003; Cory-Slechta, Virgolini et al. 2004). In addition, Dr. Robert Wright was funded this past year to study this issue more broadly, taking into account multiple stress domains and incorporating salivary cortisol rhythms as a biomarker of stress ("Stress-Lead Iron Deficiency and Neurodevelopment" PI: Wright, ES013744-A2). Such cutting-edge work is aimed toward research translation goals to both prevent and potentially treat the toxic effects of environmental chemicals. Our Metals Core work has stretched across the lifespan with research conducted during pregnancy involving the role of metals in spontaneous abortion (Lamadrid-Figueroa, Tellez-Rojo et al. 2007), very low level lead poisoning and neurodevelopment (Tellez-Rojo, Bellinger et al. 2006), effects of Hg on adolescent neurodevelopment (Debes, Budtz-Jorgensen et al. 2006); effects of arsenic on pre-cancerous skin lesions (McCarty, Chen et al. 2007; McCarty, Smith et al. 2007), and effects of metals on neurodegeneration in aged populations (Weuve, Kelsey et al. 2006; Wang, Hu et al. 2007; Weisskopf, Proctor et al. 2007).