NIOSH and Miami University Researchers Receive Science Excellence Award

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) congratulates NIOSH researcher Matt Wheeler, Ph.D., and Miami University researcher John Bailer, Ph.D., on receiving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2014 Charles C. Shepard Science Award in the category of data methods and study design.

The paper, titled “An empirical comparison of low-dose extrapolation from points of departure (POD) compared to extrapolation based upon methods that account for model uncertainty” was published in the Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology journal (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230013001013).

Their winning paper examined the viability of alternative risk assessment methods for assessing risks from environmental and occupational exposures. The authors evaluated these methods to determine if they provide more accurate expected risks from exposure. They found that these alternative methods, by accounting for model uncertainty, have clear scientific advantages in that they are more data-driven and can be used to estimate risks at low-doses directly instead of relying on the traditional approach of low dose linear extrapolation from a single model-based estimate.

The Charles C. Shepard Science Awards recognize excellence in science at CDC and ATSDR. This award is presented to the best manuscript on original research published by a CDC or ATSDR scientist in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal. Scientific publications can be nominated for the following categories: Assessment, Prevention and Control, Laboratory Science, and Data Methods and Study Design. An award is also presented for Lifetime Scientific Achievement.

NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses. Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. More information about NIOSH can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh .