Laboratory Information:
National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
109 T.W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Website: http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/
Technology Transfer Website: http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/about/researchopportunities.html
Agency/Department: Environmental Protection Agency
Region: Southeast
FLC Laboratory Representative:
Ms. Frances Richards
Phone: 919-541-3453
Fax: 919-541-2581
Email: richards.frances@epa.gov
Background/History of the Laboratory:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) functions as both a scientific and regulatory agency of the United States. Research conducted under the EPA's
Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides the basis for the formulation of environmental policies and programs. ORD's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, with its headquarters
in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, plays a vital role in the scientific research mission at EPA. The National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory is the Agency's focal point for scientific
research on the effects of contaminants and environmental stressors on human health and ecosystem integrity. Its research mission and goals help the Agency to identify and understand the processes that affect our health and
environment, and helps the Agency to evaluate the risks that pollution poses to humans and ecosystems. The impact of NHEERL's efforts can be felt far beyond the EPA, by enabling state and local governments to implement
effective environmental programs, assisting industry in setting and achieving environmental goals, and collaborating with international governments and organizations on issues of environmental importance. In addition to its
own internal research focus, the Laboratory fosters cooperative research projects with academic and other scientific institutions which compliment the objectives of the EPA, while ensuring that the Agency receives the
benefit of the highest quality peer-reviewed science. NHEERL conducts a multi disciplinary research program that strives to reduce the uncertainties inherent in assessing risk. These uncertainties vary in scope from fundamental
scientific questions requiring sustained, long-term research strategies to Congressionally-mandated investigations that demand an immediate response. Accordingly, NHEERL balances long-term and short-term research objectives, combining
elements of both basic and applied sciences to provide a unique blend of research capabilities.
Mission of the Laboratory:
NHEERL is the focal point for toxicological, clinical, epidemiological, ecological, and biogeographic research within the
Environmental Protection Agency. To improve the scientific underpinnings of EPA's risk assessments and regulatory policy decisions, NHEERL scientists create and apply: biological assays and toxicologic assessment methods; predictive
pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models; ecosystem function theory; and advanced extrapolation methods. In addition to its intramural research, the NHEERL fosters cooperative research projects with academic and other scientific
institutions to complement NHEERL mission-oriented efforts as well as to insure that the Agency has the benefit of the highest quality peer-reviewed science. Long-term research components define and characterize toxicological
hazards, quantify dose response and other important cause-effect relationships, and assess the integrity and sustainability of ecosystems. In addition, NHEERL scientists serve as scientific advisors/reviewers in providing technical
assistance to Program Offices, Regions, States, Tribes, other ORD national laboratories, senior Agency managers, Agency workgroups, and interagency task forces. NHEERL also provides national and international leadership in identifying
and resolving important human and ecological issues and by influencing the research planning/priorities of other research organizations. NHEERL's mission embraces three objectives. Pursuit of these objectives enable NHEERL to secure
and expand its position as a premier environmental research institution: perform human health and ecological effects research of the highest scientific quality in support of the risk assessment needs of the Agency; demonstrate leadership
in identifying, studying, and resolving important environmental health and ecological effects issues and in establishing the environmental research agenda; and provide scientific and technical assistance to EPA Program and Regional Offices
and to local, state, regional, national, and international governments and organizations.
Technology Transfer Mechanisms:
- Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs)
- Technical Assistance
Technology Areas of Expertise:
- Sound science
- Environmental stressors on human health
- Human health risk
- Children's health
- Clean/safe water
- Contaminated sediments
- Particulate matter
- Predicting Effects
- Predicting Residues
- Quality environmental information
- Reducing global risks
- Resuspension
- Safe communities
- Safe land
