Research and Faculty
Pilot Project Research Training (PPRT) Program
The goal of the PPRT program is to strengthen the occupational health and safety research capacity of the United States by increasing the number and quality of scientists who pursue research careers in OH&S disciplines. The PPRT program provides short-term seed funds to support innovative pilot research projects.
The 2024-2025 request for proposal deadline for applications was May 1st 2024 5:00pm EDT
The Current 2024-2025 application cycle is over, but we will be announcing a deadline soon for the 2025-2026 cycle!
Between now and May 2025 Adam Finkel, PPRT Director is happy to answer any questions: [email protected]
Our Faculty
COHSE is fortunate to have many faculty members with strong research records that cover a broad spectrum of occupational health and safety (OH&S) issues.
Research
Our faculty have strong research programs with many recent publications.
Recent Publications
Assessment of effect modification in associations between biomarkers of prenatal glyphosate exposure and child neurodevelopment in Puerto Rico
John D Meeker
CONCLUSIONS: These exploratory findings highlight the need for further research into prenatal GLY exposure, its impact on neurodevelopment, and potential exposure through breastmilk.
Workplace Exposures May Mask Wildfire Smoke-Related Exposure Inequities and Mortality
Richard L Neitzel
Millions of outdoor workers cannot avoid wildfire smoke, likely leading to inequalities in exposure and health risk, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of how many outdoor workers are exposed to wildfire smoke in the United States (US). We first characterized work-related exposure to wildfire PM(2.5) for 3,108 contiguous US counties during 2006-2019 by integrating data on wildfire smoke-specific PM(2.5), workplace activities, and employment counts. We then compared the racial and ethnic…
Lead (Pb) and the NMDA Receptor Hypofunction Hypothesis: A Comparative Review of Non-Essential Metal Exposures in Schizophrenia
Alexis J Handal
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and anhedonia [1, 2]. Strong biological plausibility supports a disease-specific relationship between metal and metalloid exposures and SCZ, particularly through disruption of metal ion coordination within with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr), a key regulator of neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity [3-5]. This review synthesizes existing…
Dietary guidelines adherence and pregnancy exposure to 10 classes of priority chemicals: an observational study in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort
John D Meeker
CONCLUSIONS: Greater DGA adherence may minimize exposure to some, but not all, toxicants.
The distracting role of stress: Impaired executive attention and delayed fatigue perception
Oshin Tyagi
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that cognitive stress has a distraction effect on higher-order executive attentional resources, resulting in a delayed perception of fatigue and impairing motor performance.
Blood leukocyte DNA methylation of circadian genes in relation to environmental phthalate exposure in Mexican adolescents
John D Meeker
CONCLUSIONS: Urinary phthalate mixture concentrations were associated with DNAm at selected circadian gene loci in this cross-sectional sample of Mexican adolescents. Differences in the number and pattern of associations across sex strata warrant further investigation in larger longitudinal studies with formal tests of interaction.
Effects of Egocentric and Exocentric Supervisor Viewpoint Perspectives on Motion Plan Legibility and Decision Support in Automated Spacecraft Docking Maneuvers
Leia Stirling
ObjectiveThis work analyzes the influence of egocentric versus exocentric viewpoint on the ability of a human supervisor to appropriately takeover or handoff manual control during a spacecraft’s automated rendezvous and docking (ARD) motion.BackgroundPrevious work showed that automated spacecraft motion factors of initial condition and path curvature influenced supervisor perception of the system and subsequent decision to take over manual control. It was hypothesized that viewpoint may…
Prescribing Medications to Workers: Understanding State Policies, Controlled Substances, and Interdisciplinary Roles
Marie-Anne S Rosemberg
No abstract
Maternal inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy and emotional-behavioral problems in children aged 1.5-3 years: A longitudinal repeated-measures study
John D Meeker
Emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) in early childhood have been associated with enduring mental health problems as well as with poor academic outcomes later in life. Thus, understanding the pathology and risk factors is essential for developing effective preventive strategies. While recent experimental studies suggest the linkage between maternal inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy and offspring’s EBP symptoms, few epidemiological studies have explored both simultaneously. In…
Strengthening breastfeeding counseling through a two-phase training and implementation intervention in Ecuador’s local healthcare system
Alexis J Handal
CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was feasible within a public primary healthcare setting and addressed key gaps in access to individualized breastfeeding support. It demonstrated the relevance of combining technical and relational competencies in counseling and the importance of integrating such services within existing health systems. These findings provide practical insights for the implementation of similar models in resource-constrained settings.
Videos
Keeping e-waste workers healthy and safe
In an interview with Rick Nietzel, we learn about the rewarding experiences of students working with electronic waste abroad in Thailand, with photos and videos illustrating the type of work being done with this project.
Death of a Flip Phone
In an informational video describing the dangerous metals and plastic compounds contained in old phones, we learn about the ways electronic waste negatively affects the environment when it is not properly managed.
Citing our Center Grant:
All publications, press releases, and other documents relevant to research funded by the center must include a specific acknowledgement of support, this statement may read:
“This publication was supported by the Grant Number, T42 OH008455, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.”