Curriculum Vitae
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Advisory Committee
Leila M. Barraj, D.Sc.
Senior Managing Scientist
Professional Profile
Dr. Leila M. Barraj is a Senior Managing Scientist in Exponent's Health Sciences Center for Chemical Regulation and Food Safety. Dr. Barraj is a statistician with experience in study design, data analysis, and exposure modeling. She has designed and analyzed data from several nationwide market basket surveys, specialized field trials, and monitoring programs, and has investigated the potential association between demographic, occupational and dietary characteristics, and health indicators using data from nationwide surveys. She has experience in experimental design, multivariate analysis, and survival analysis. And she also has extensive experience in the development and testing of probability models for exposure assessments. In particular, Dr. Barraj has been involved in developing the models and algorithms used in several of Exponent/Novigen's proprietary risk assessment software. These software include the Dietary Exposure Evaluation Model (DEEM™), the Food Analysis and Residue Evaluation Program (FARE™), and Calendex™, an aggregate and cumulative exposure software incorporating both temporal and spatial variability. The EPA relies on these software in its assessments.
Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Barraj was Director of the Statistical Services Division with Novigen Sciences, Inc. She has worked and consulted as a statistician for Technical Assessment Systems, Inc.; the Center for Studies in Nutrition and Medicine of the New England Deaconess Hospital; the Nutrition Institute of Cairo, Egypt; the United Nations Children's Fund; the United Nations Economic Commission for Western Asia; and Environmental Quality International of Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Barraj has also served as Instructor and Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the American University of Beirut.
Credentials and Professional Honors
D.Sc., Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, ----
M.S., Statistics, American University of Beirut, ----
B.S., Statistics, American University of Beirut, ----
Publications
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Barraj LM, Tsuji JS, and Scrafford CG. The SHEDS-Wood Model: Incorporation of observational data to estimate exposure to arsenic for children playing on CCA-treated wood structures. Environmental Health Perspectives 2007; 115(5):781-786. Available at: http://www.ehponline.org/members/2007/9741/9741.pdf
Tsuji J, Yost L, Barraj L, Scrafford C, Mink P. Use of background inorganic arsenic exposures to provide perspective on risk assessment results. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 2007; 48(1):59-68.
Erdreich LS, Van Kerkhove MD, Scrafford CG, Barraj L, McNeely M, Shum M, Sheppard AR, Kelsh M. Factors that influence the radiofrequency power output of GSM mobile phones. Radiation Res 2007; 168(2):253-261.
Barraj LM and Tsuji JS. Letter to the editor. Risk Analysis 2007; 27(1):1-3.
Mink PJ, Scrafford CG, Barraj LM, Harnack L, Hong CP, Nettleton JA, Jacobs DR. Flavonoid intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: a prospective study of postmenopausal women. AJCN 2007; 85(3):895-909.
Loretz L, Api AM, Barraj L, Burdick J, Davis de A, Dressler W, Gilberti E, Jarrett G, Mann S, Laurie Pan YH, Re T, Renskers K, Scrafford C, Vater S. C. Exposure data for personal care products: hairspray, spray perfume, liquid foundation, shampoo, body wash, and solid antiperspirant. Food Chem Toxicol 2006; 44(12):2008-2018.
Nettleton JA, Harnack LJ, Scrafford CG, Mink PJ, Barraj LM, Jacobs DR Jr. Dietary flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods are not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in postmenopausal women. J Nutr. 2006; 136(12):3039-3045.
Tsuji JT, Van Kerkhove MD, Kaetzel RS, Scrafford CG, Mink PJ, Barraj LM, Crecelius EA, Goodman M. Evaluation of exposure to arsenic in residential soil. Environmental Health Perspectives 2005; 113(12): 1735-1740.
Mink PJ, Goodman M, Barraj L, Imrey H, Kelsh M, Yager J. Evaluation of uncontrolled confounding in studies of environmental exposures and neurobehavioral testing in children. Epidemiol. 2004; 15(4):385-393.
Loretz LJ, Api AM, Barraj LM, Burdick J, Dressler WE, Gettings SD, Hsu HH, Pan YHL, Re TA, Renskers KJ, Rothenstein A, Scrafford CG, Sewall C. Exposure data for cosmetic products: lipstick, body lotion, and face cream. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2005; 43(2):279-291.
Yost LJ, Tao SH, Egan SK, Barraj LM, Smith KM, Tsuji JS, Lowney YW, Schoof RA, Rachman NJ. Estimation of dietary intake of inorganic arsenic in U.S. children. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess. 2004; 10:473-483.
Teta JM, Tran NL, Mink PJ, Barraj LM. Validity of using background leukemia incidence rates with cohort mortality-based potency estimates to calculate excess lifetime risk. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess. 2004; 10(5): 923-938.
Barraj LM and Petersen BJ. Food consumption data in microbiological risk assessment. J. Food Prot. 2004, 67(9): 1972-1976.
Mink PJ, Goodman M, Barraj LM, Imrey H, Kelsh MA, Yager J. Evaluation of uncontrolled confounding in studies of environmental exposures and neurobehavioral testing in children. Epidemiology 2004, 15(4):385-393.
Tran NL, Barraj LM, Smith K., Javier A., Burke TA. Combining food frequency and survey data to quantify long-term dietary exposure; a methyl mercury case study. Risk Analysis 2004, 24(1):19-30.
Heimbach JT, Bodor AR, Douglass JS, Barraj LM, Cohen SC, Biles RW, Faust HR. Dietary exposures to mineral hydrocarbons from food-use applications in the United States. Food and Chem Toxicol 2002; 40(5):555-571.
Julien EA, Barraj LM, Petersen BJ, Tomerlin JR. Considerations when choosing a threshold of regulation for acute dietary exposure to pesticides. Food and Drug Law J 2001; 56(2):241-254.
Youngren SH, Youngren MA, Barraj L. Challenges of probabilistic assessment of operator and residential non-dietary exposure. Am Occup Hyg 2000; 45(2001):S49-S54.
Allison DB, Eagan SK, Barraj LM, Caughman C, Infante M, Heimbach JT. Estimated intakes of trans fatty and other fatty acids in the U.S. population. J Am Dietetic Assoc 1999; 99(2):166-174.
Tomerson JA, Taves DR, Cockett ATK, McCusker J, Barraj L, Francis M, Pastoor TP, Wickramaratne, GA, Northrop HL. An assessment of fertility in male workers exposed to molinate. J Occupat Environ Med 1999; 41(9):771-787.
Barraj LM, Petersen BJ, Tomerlin JR. Report on cumulative dietary risk assessment of organophosphorus insecticides is flawed. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 1998; 28:67-68.
Shurdut BA, Barraj LM, Francis M. Aggregate exposures under the food quality protection act: an approach using Chlorpyrifos. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 1998; 28:165-177.
Petersen BJ, Barraj LM. Assessing the intake of contaminants and nutrients: a review of methods. J Food Composition and Analysis 1996; 9:243-254.
Douglass JS, Barraj LM, Tennant DR, Long WR, Chaisson CF. Evaluation of the budget method for screening food additive intakes. Food Addit Contam. 1997; 14(8):791-802.
Petersen B, Tomerlin JR, and Barraj L. Pesticide degradation: exceptions to the rule. Food Technology 1996; 50(5):221-223.
Douglass JS, Fleming KH, Barraj LM, Heimbach JT. Using food consumption data to determine exposure to toxins. Chapter prepared for the CRC Handbook of Human Toxicology: CRC Press, 1996.
Petersen BJ, Barraj LM, Muenz LR, Harrison SL. An alternative approach to dietary exposure assessment. Risk Analysis 1994; 14(6):913-916.
Petersen BJ, Francis MA, Barraj LM (eds.). Exposure Factors Handbook, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, July 1993.
Loftus ML, Barraj LM, Tomerlin JR. Effect of the limit of detection on exposure assessment. J AOAC International 1992; 75(5):911-915.
Barraj L. Measuring the Impact of the NCDDP on Infant Mortality in Egypt. Cairo: UNICEF and NCDDP, 1989.
Lagakos S, LM Barraj, De Gruttola V. Nonparametric analysis of truncated survival data, with application to AIDS. Biometrika 1988; 75(3):515-23.
Book Chapters
Tran NL, Barraj L. Food as exposure: measuring dietary intakes and consumption pattern. In: Epidemiologic Principles and Food Safety. Tamar Lasky (ed). Oxford University Press, 2007.
Petersen BJ, Petersen SR, Barraj L, Johnston J. Using two-day food consumption survey data for longitudinal dietary exposure analyses. In: Assessing Exposures and Reducing Risks to People from the Use of Pesticides . Seiber JN, Krieger RI, Ragsdale N (eds). Oxford Univ. Press, 2007.
Butchko HH, Barraj LM. Clinical research for medical devices. In : Bringing your Medical Device to Market. Reiss JB, Armon B (eds). FDLI, 2006.
Barraj L, van den Berg M, Darnerud PO, Feeley M, Lilienthal H, Päpke O, Bolger M, Tohyama C. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers. In: FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives; Safety Evaluation of Certain Contaminants in Food. S.351-562, 2006.
Presentations
Barraj L, Blount B, Sanchez C, Scrafford C, Krieger R. Avoiding perchlorate exposures from fresh fruits and vegetables: at what costs? Presented at the 2007 Annual Society of Toxicology meeting, Charlotte, NC, 2006.
Tran N, Barraj L, Mink P, Donald M. Balancing and communicating risks and benefits associated with egg consumption-a relative risk study. Presented at the Annual Society of Toxicology meeting, Charlotte, NC, 2007.
Tran N, Barraj L, Scrafford C. Nutrient deficiency classification bias relating to the 24-Hour dietary recall: A case study with dietary and red blood cell folate. Presented at the International Society for Exposure Analysis Annual Meeting, Paris, France , 2006.
Krieger B, Barraj L. Balancing the risks of perchlorate and nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables. Presented at the Annual Society for Risk Analysis Meeting, Orlando, FL, 2005.
Barraj L, Johnston J, Scrafford C. Investigating the impact of certain assumptions on estimates of long-term occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides. Presented at the 2004 Annual Society for Risk Analysis Meeting, Palm Springs, CA, December 2004.
Barraj L, Walls C, and Scrafford C. Estimating Longitudinal Exposures Using Short-Term Data. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the International Society for Risk Analysis, 2002 (http://www.riskworld.com/Abstract/2002/SRAam02/ab02aa015.htm, accessed 03/02/05).
DiNovi M, Petersen B, Barraj L, Thompson K. Uncertainties associated with estimating dietary exposures to environmental contaminants. Presented at the 2001 Annual Society for Risk Analysis Meeting, Seattle, WA, December 2001.
Barraj LM, Petersen B. Modeling dietary exposures to environmental contaminants. Presented at the 2001 International Society for Exposure Analysis Annual Meeting, Charleston, SC, November 2001.
Barraj L, Francis M., Scrafford, C. Biomonitoring data from the Priority Toxicant Reference Range Study. Presented at the 2001 International Society for Exposure Analysis Annual Meeting, Charleston, SC, November 2001.
Barraj L, Anderson S. Quantitative risk assessment for veterinary fluoroquinolones on Campylobacter in beef. Presented at the 2000 American Statistical Association Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, August, 2000.
Barraj LM. Quantitative risk assessment for veterinary fluoroquinolones on campylobacter in beef. Presented at the 2000 Joint Statistical Meetings, Indianapolis, IN, August 2000.
Barraj LM, BJ Petersen, Saunders S. Does the Increased corn intake by Mexican-Americans lower their blood folate levels? Presented at the 2000 SOT Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, March 2000.
Barraj LM, Petersen BJ. Exposure assessment for cadmium. Presented at the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, Geneva, Switzerland, June 2000.
Petersen BJ, Barraj LM. Exposure assessment for lead. Presented at the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), Rome, Italy, June 1999.
Barraj LM, Petersen BJ. A method for revising and redefining regional diets for use in estimating the intake of pesticides. Presented at the 31 st Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, The Hague, The Netherlands, April 1999.
Petersen BJ, Tomerlin JR, Barraj LM, Julien B. Aggregate exposure risk assessments and the upcoming challenge of cumulative exposure. Presented at the 1998 SOT Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, March 1998.
Barraj LM, Francis M. Using a calendar model for estimating the probability of exposure to a chemical with multiple uses. Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis and International Society of Exposure Analysis Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, December 1996.
Heimbach JT, Fleming KH, Barraj LM. Using food consumption survey data to estimate high levels of exposure to nutrients. Paper presented to the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., July 1996.
Kidwell JL, Petersen B, Dybas R, Grosso L, Barraj L. Comparison of methodologies for estimating dietary exposure to abamectin residues in foods. Poster presented at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 1996.
Slesinski RS, Barraj L, Petersen BJ. Evaluating potential risk from exposure to multiple pesticide residues in food: possible approaches for estimating total dietary risk. Poster presented at the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, March 1995.
Fleming KH, Barraj LM, Douglass JS, Heimbach JT, Chew SB. Multiple chemicals, multiple exposures: international efforts in estimating intakes. Paper presented at the Second International Conference on Dietary Assessment Methods, Boston, MA, January 1995.
Tomerlin JR, Barraj LM, Francis MA, Petersen BJ. A comparison of exposure calculation methodologies: joint distribution analysis vs. Monte Carlo simulations. Poster presented at the ISEE/ISEA Joint Conference, Research Triangle Park, NC, September 1994.
Petersen BJ, Tomerlin JR, Barraj LM, Wehr HM. The impact of the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences on analytical methods and the exposure and risk assessments. Paper presented at the American Organization of Analytical Chemists International Meeting, Portland, OR, September 1994.
Barraj LM, Petersen BJ, Francis M. Composite sampling versus sampling individual units: impact on estimates of the residue distribution and associated potential exposure. Paper presented at the Conference on Environmetrics, 5 th International Conference on Statistical Methods for the Environmental Sciences and 4 th General Meeting of the International Environmetrics Society, Burlington, Canada, August 1994.
Barraj LM, Chaisson CF, Tomerlin JR, Petersen BJ. Evaluating total multiple pesticide residues in foods: methods and implications. Paper presented at the Society of Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA, December 1993.
Slesinski RS, Hawk FJ, Wilson A, Barraj LM. Exposure assessment of pesticide residues in food: design and interpretation of food residue surveys. Poster presented at the 14 th Annual Meeting of the American College of Toxicology, New Orleans, LA, October 3-6, 1993.
Barraj LM, Krieger RI. Exposure to pesticides: impact of current national and international methods on estimates of exposure. Paper presented at the Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, December 1992.
Fleming KH, Douglass JS, Barraj L, Egan SK, Petersen BJ. Disappearance data vs. survey data in epidemiologic analyses. Poster presented at the 1 st International Conference on Dietary Assessment Methods: Assessing Intake of Specific Food Components, Minneapolis, MN, September 1992.
Cypel Y, Barraj LM. Survey issues in the use of food consumption data for dietary exposure analyses. Presented at the Society of Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, December 1991.
Slesinski RS, Barraj LM, Chaisson CF. Design and utilization of national food surveys to provide quantitative data for dietary risk assessment. Presented at the Society of Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, December 1991.
Barraj LM, Loftus ML, Petersen BJ. Selecting analytical methods for monitoring foods for toxicants. Presented at the Eastern Food Science Conference, The Integrated Food Technologist, Hunt Valley, MD, October 1991.
Professional Affiliations
- American Statistical Association (member)
- Society for Risk Analysis (member)
- The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (member)
Editorial Review Boards
- The International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (1997-2004)