The Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, based at the UNMC College of Public Health, has awarded four grants to innovative research projects to protect agricultural workers.
The pilot grants, totaling $80,000, will fund early career researchers who have shown a commitment to improve the health and safety within farming communities. Each research team will receive $20,000 over an 11-month period to conduct exploratory studies addressing occupational health challenges faced by rural and aging farm populations.
“These pilot projects tackle the critical intersection of aging, occupational exposure and chronic health risks in farming communities,” said Eleanor Rogan, PhD, lead investigator for the CS-CASH pilot grant program. “They not only support emerging agricultural health researchers but also represent an investment in creating safer, healthier rural workplaces.”
The four newly funded pilot projects involve:
Nebraska West Nile Virus Immunity and Geographic Surveillance (NE-WINGS)
Jana Broadhurst, MD, PhD, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Joseph Fauver, PhD, assistant professor; and David Brett-Major, MD, professor, UNMC Department of Epidemiology
- This project will establish a sustainable, community-based research infrastructure in western Nebraska to assess West Nile virus exposure risk in agricultural workers. The team will partner with the Panhandle Public Health District to create a community advisory board and host research events for biospecimen and questionnaire collection. Using a lab-developed antibody profiling assay, the study will determine West Nile virus seroprevalence and guide future rural health initiatives in the Great Plains.
Age-related changes in lung mesenchymal stem cell responses to agricultural organic dust exposure
Dannielle Samano, MD, and Kristina Bailey, MD, professors in the UNMC Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
- This study will investigate how aging impacts the lung’s mesenchymal stem cells when exposed to agricultural organic dust, a common risk in farming. By comparing younger and older donor cells, the research team will focus on inflammation, wound healing and mitochondrial function. This work aims to better understand why older farmers may be more susceptible to respiratory diseases, with the long-term goal of identifying protective therapies.
Agricultural work exposures, nutrition and neurodegeneration risk
Kelli Gribben, PhD, postdoctoral research associate; Casey McDermott, graduate student; Tara Nordgren, PhD, associate professor; and Corrine Hanson, PhD, professor
- This project will explore how exposure to agricultural dust might contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, and whether omega-3 fatty acids offer protective benefits. The project will analyze links between dust exposure, diet, inflammation and biomarkers of brain health. The research could inform preventive dietary strategies for at-risk agricultural populations.
Using machine learning to predict fall risks in aging agricultural workers across farming seasons
Ka-Chun (Joseph) Siu, PhD, UNMC College of Allied Health; Jan Moore, PhD, University of Nebraska at Kearney; and Jong-Hoon Youn, PhD, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- With the average age of U.S. farmers now 57, the team will address the pressing need to reduce fall injuries in this population. The research will examine how hearing loss, cognitive function and seasonal workload affect balance and fall risk. Participants will undergo hearing and cognitive assessments and wear devices that monitor their activity during both high- and low-intensity farming periods. The goal is to develop machine learning models that can identify fall risks early and guide interventions.
For more information about CS-CASH projects, visit the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health online.