Office of the Division Director | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Skip Navigation Office of the Division Director Close the left navigation Extramural Research & Training David M. Balshaw, Ph.D. Director, Division of Extramural Research and Training Tel 984-287-3234 [email protected] David Balshaw, Ph.D., is the Director of the Division of Extramural Research and Training. David is a biophysicist by training with a Ph.D. from the Department of Pharmacology and Cellular Biophysics at the University of Cincinnati and post-doctoral training in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina. He joined NIH as a Program Officer at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in 2001 and moved to NIEHS in 2003. Over nearly two decades he has led several high impact programs at NIEHS and NIH particularly in the areas of ‘omics technologies and is an international leader in the field of exposomics. With the participation and concurrence of senior leadership of NIEHS, the Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT) develops program priorities to assure maximum utilization of available resources in attainment of the objectives stated in the NIEHS Strategic Plan. By collaborating with other institutes at NIH, other federal agencies, and public and private institutions and organizations, DERT staff maintain an awareness of national and international research efforts and priorities, and identify new opportunities for collaborative research and training initiatives involving the environmental health sciences. Staff Ashley J. Vargas, Ph.D, M.P.H., R.D.N. Deputy Director, Division of Extramural Research and Training Tel 301-827-6030 [email protected] Jennifer A. Baker Staff Assistant Tel 984-287-3188 [email protected] Valerie A. Bartlett Program Analyst Tel 984-287-4681 [email protected] Joel D. Collinson Program Specialist Tel 919-794-4550 [email protected] Ann Y. Liu, Ph.D., M.P.H. Contractor - Senior Scientist Tel 301-496-3511 [email protected] Leslie D. Lynch Management Analyst Tel 984-287-3797 [email protected] Katherine A. McGinnis Team Lead, DERT Tel 984-287-3289 [email protected] Aubrey K. Miller, M.D., M.P.H. Senior Medical Advisor Tel 301-496-3511 [email protected] Mitsue M. Parrish Administrative Officer Tel 984-287-3301 [email protected] Related Links HBCUs to share research funding challenges, opportunities - Environmental Factor, July 2021 Back to Top Last Reviewed: March 18, 2026