Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences: Research and Laboratories

Our Division has research labs housing a number of investigators with diverse research interests addressing the role of exposure in disease pathogenesis.

Lisa Maier, MD, has a special interest in defining genetic, exposure, and immunologic factors which result in granulomatous lung disease of known and unknown cause, primarily chronic beryllium disease (CBD) and sarcoidosis . In addition, she is evaluating the natural history of beryllium sensitization and CBD. By investigating the risk factors for these diseases and more severe forms of disease, the goal of this research is to define biological markers or predictors of who will develop disease and more progressive forms of disease, and determine interventions to prevent and treat these diseases.

Brian Day, PhD, has a special interest in discovering the role of oxidants and antioxidants in lung injury and repair. He is currently investigating the role of oxidative stress in CBD and the potential of new therapeutic approaches to treat this lung disease. He also has an active research program examining the role of the natural antioxidant, glutathione, in protecting the lung against the damaging effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Another area of interest is the development of cancer treatments that increase the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy. Lastly, his laboratory is developing countermeasures against terrorist deployed chemical weapons that involve catalytic antioxidant metalloporphyrins.

Karin Pacheco, MD, is interested in identifying the genes and exposures that together increase the chance of developing allergy or asthma  to laboratory animals. Anyone who works with animals is at risk, including animal handlers, research scientists and technicians, vet techs, veterinarians and others. This is a good model to study the general process of developing allergy or asthma as well as ways of preventing these diseases.

Cecile Rose, MD, is interested in researching lung diseases from inhalation exposures in the workplace and home.  She is specifically interested in the following lung diseases:

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis from exposures to inhaled antigens including particulates from birds and agricultural dusts;
• Dust diseases of the lung, particularly silicosis and coal worker’s pneumoconiosis;
• Bronchiolitis obliterans and other lung diseases from exposure to chemicals used in food flavorings.
  She works closely with epidemiologists, industrial hygienists and laboratory-based scientists to investigate the causes, mechanisms, treatment and prevention of these diseases.  She is also involved in similar research efforts in the granulomatous lung disease, sarcoidosis. 

John Martyny, PhD, conducts research regarding environmental exposures and methods of controlling those exposures.  He is currently working on exposures to bacteria and fungi in indoor environments especially those associated with Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM).  Dr. Martyny also conducts research on chemical exposures associated with clandestine methamphetamine laboratories and their effects on law enforcement officials and children associated with these laboratories. He also conducts research on current and past beryllium exposures in the workplace including particle-size determination and health effects. He conducts research on the use of diacetyl and other food flavorings and their impact upon workers in the food additive industry.

Remy Kachadourian, PhD , has dedicated his 14+ years of research to metal-complexes and free radicals in biological systems. For the past three years, he has been exploring a new strategy to sensitize cancer cells to treatments that have pro-oxidant effects (such as cisplatin) by targeting ABC transporters and depleting the cells from glutathione, a key antioxidant in the cell. A potential benefit of this research is to create new combinations of treatments against cancer that will be more specific and effective, thus reducing the secondary effects of current treatments.

Clinical Trials

The division faculty members conduct a variety of clinical trials involving  environmental and occupational diseases. Currently, our division is conducting a clinical research trial with Centocor that examines patients with chronic beryllium disease who are treated with Infliximab.

Search for current clinical trials at National Jewish Health.

Learn about environmental and occupational health sciences education opportunities.