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
Intra-individual variability of urinary non-persistent chemical concentrations during pregnancy in the ECHO Cohort
John D Meeker
BACKGROUND: Studies of prenatal exposure to non-persistent chemicals often assume biomarker measurements from a single urine sample can represent exposure pregnancy. The validity of this assumption depends on biomarker concentration variability across gestation, which is not well-characterized for many chemicals.
Prenatal exposure to nonpersistent endocrine disruptors and early childhood BMI: single pollutant and mixture analyses from the ECHO Program
John D Meeker
CONCLUSIONS: We found no strong evidence for mixture effects, though some individual compounds showed non-linear and sex-specific associations.
Using inertial measurement units to characterize musculoskeletal risk factors in a pilot study of a passive shoulder exoskeleton during a drilling-fastening task
Leia Stirling
Exoskeletons have been considered for mitigating ergonomic risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), but they are not consistently utilized in initial deployments as workers in some facilities have not voluntarily used them. In this study, we investigated the impact of a passive shoulder exoskeleton on a drilling-fastening task with participants (n = 13) from a manufacturing training facility who have a little or no experience in using an exoskeleton. The direct measures of joint…
Haptic Shared Planning and Control: Enabling Coordination of Future Actions in Human-Autonomous Vehicle Teams Through a Haptic Negotiation Interface
Nadine Sarter
ObjectiveWe examine how human-automation shared steering control combined with a haptic shape-changing interface for communicating and negotiating future intent affects driving performance and trust recovery.BackgroundSteering fights in haptic shared control can negatively impact driving performance. Existing solutions do not feature automation explicitly communicating its intent nor supporting intent negotiation with the driver. Trust recovery after faults is also expected to improve with…
Prenatal exposure to DEHTP replacement metabolites and odds of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension in a diverse nulliparous U.S. cohort
John D Meeker
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that prenatal exposure to DEHTP metabolites may be associated with APOs, specifically PE, and highlight the need for continued research and monitoring of these replacement compounds.
Andes hantavirus strain waste meets criteria for category A: Reconsidering infectious waste classification
Aurora B Le
No abstract
Aflatoxin exposure and cognitive performance in Mexican adolescents
John D Meeker
CONCLUSION: Higher aflatoxin exposure was prospectively associated with lower working memory performance among Mexican adolescents. These findings suggest a potential adverse association between aflatoxin exposure and cognitive function during adolescence that warrants further investigation in longitudinal studies.
Association between environmental and headphone noise and heart rate variability: observations from Apple Hearing Study cohort
Richard L Neitzel
BACKGROUND: Environmental noise is linked to adverse cardiovascular effects. However, few studies have examined people’s heart rate variability (HRV) changes related to noise sources, despite the elevated cardiovascular risk associated with reduced HRV.
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.”