Epidemiology Branch | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Epidemiology Branch | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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Epidemiology Branch
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Careers in Epidemiology
Through its
fellowship program
, the Epidemiology Branch strives to develop and mentor talented, motivated, and exceptional early career scientists. Research opportunities are currently available.
Dale P. Sandler, Ph.D.
Chief, Epidemiology Branch and Senior Investigator
Tel 984-287-3711
[email protected]
Kelly K. Ferguson, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Deputy Chief and Senior Investigator
Tel 984-287-3700
[email protected]
Research Summary
The Epidemiology Branch addresses the mission of NIEHS by carrying out research on the effects of the environment on human health. Our research covers a wide range of conditions with potential links to environmental exposures. Studies address health across the lifespan from pregnancy and child development to chronic diseases of aging.
Many Epidemiology Branch
studies
take advantage of biological and environmental samples to measure biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, or effect. Our research portfolio includes a mix of “big science” and more narrowly defined work. Large multi-purpose cohorts and multi-investigator pooling projects and research consortia address health effects of lifestyle and environmental exposures, gene-environment interactions and genome- and epigenome-wide associations. Our portfolio also includes laboratory-based observational and mechanistic studies. Cohorts developed and followed by the Branch facilitate multi-disciplinary studies of health effects of environmental exposures and foster collaborations both within NIEHS and with the extramural community.
The Epidemiology Branch, led by Branch Chief
Dale P. Sandler
, Ph.D., and Deputy Branch Chief
Kelly K. Ferguson
, Ph.D., M.P.H., is part of the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research (DIR), which encompasses both basic and applied research. The Epidemiology Branch
staff
includes three tenured Senior Investigators, two Tenure-track Investigators, three Scientists Emeriti, several Staff Scientists, and affiliated investigators, along with many predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows. The Branch regularly hosts international visitors, guest researchers, summer interns, and other short-term trainees.
The Epidemiology Branch research program comprises five Principal Investigator-led research groups, with active participation by our three contributing Scientists Emeriti, and a research support team:
Chronic Disease Epidemiology Group
This group uses prospective cohorts to study the impact of environmental and lifestyle exposures on a range of health outcomes. The Agricultural Health Study (in collaboration with the NCI) focuses on cancer and non-cancer health risks associated with pesticides and other agricultural exposures. The Sister Study focuses on environmental and genetic contributors to breast cancer and other cancer and non-cancer outcomes. The GuLF STUDY follows persons who cleaned up after the 2010
Deepwater Horizon
oil spill disaster. Interests of the group include breast and other hormonal cancers, metabolic conditions, autoimmune, kidney and neurological diseases, and respiratory health in relation to individual and ambient environmental and psychosocial exposures across the lifespan.
Dale P. Sandler, Ph.D.
Chief, Epidemiology Branch and Senior Investigator
Tel 984-287-3711
[email protected]
Environment and Cancer Epidemiology Group
This group aims to identify potentially modifiable environmental risk factors for cancer. Current research in this group focuses on evaluating the relationship between breast cancer and environmental exposures including air pollution, metals and other chemicals, and identifying relevant underlying biologic mechanisms. This group also uses advanced statistical methods to study how mixtures of chemicals work together and interact to influence cancer risk.
Alexandra J. White, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
Stadtman Investigator
Tel 984-287-3713
[email protected]
Environmental and Social Determinants of Health Group
This group focuses on identifying biological mechanisms by which social and physical environmental factors affect health and contribute to differential health outcomes—for example, how neighborhood/housing and work environments affect sleep health and subsequent cardiometabolic health.
Chandra L. Jackson, Ph.D., M.S.
Stadtman Investigator
Tel 984-287-3701
[email protected]
Fertility and Reproductive Health Group
This group aims to identify environmental factors that influence fertility and early pregnancy health. Research in this group focuses on menstrual cycle function, conception, pregnancy loss, and early placental development. The group explores the use of innovative digital tools such as menstrual cycle tracking apps, for reproductive health research. Research studies include prospective studies of time to pregnancy and early pregnancy loss, and a clinical trial of vitamin D and menstrual cycles (the inVitD trial).
Anne Marie Z. Jukic, Ph.D.
Investigator
Tel 984-287-3699
[email protected]
Perinatal and Early Life Epidemiology Group
This group conducts research on how maternal exposure to chemicals impacts pregnancy and the development of the fetus and child. The group also investigates biological mechanisms, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption, which may explain links between chemical exposures and adverse birth outcomes.
Kelly K. Ferguson, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Deputy Chief and Senior Investigator
Tel 984-287-3700
[email protected]
Scientific Program Support Team
The
Program Support Team
are staff scientists, specialists, and administrators that provide scientific and administrative support for management of the Epidemiology Branch research program.
Gitanjali S. Taneja, Ph.D.
Health Science Administrator
Tel 984-439-4428
[email protected]
Scientists Emeriti
Donna Baird, Ph.D.
, previously led the Women’s Health Research Group. She continues to engage in research on uterine fibroids, a high morbidity condition for women that poses significant public health burden for women.
Donna D. Baird, Ph.D.
Scientist Emerita
Tel 984-287-3690
[email protected]
Jack Taylor, M.D., Ph.D.
, led the Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology Group. He continues to collaborate on studies of epigenetic modifications to DNA in relation to human exposures and cancer risks.
Jack A. Taylor, M.D., Ph.D. (Retired)
Scientist Emeritus
Tel 984-287-3684
[email protected]
Allen Wilcox, M.D., Ph.D.
, formerly led the Reproductive Epidemiology Group. He continues to contribute to research on fertility, conception and early fertility, and birthweight and preterm delivery.
Allen J. Wilcox, M.D., Ph.D. (Retired)
Scientist Emeritus
Tel 984-287-3686
[email protected]
Publications
Recent Publications
Xie S, Deziel N, Josse P, Madrigal J, Parks C, Sandler D, Andreotti G, Ward M, Hofmann J, Freeman L, Friesen M. Updating our quantification of non-occupational pesticide exposure in agricultural settings: A revised algorithm for the Agricultural Health Study.
Environmental advances
2026 Apr;23:.
Abstract
Xie S, Deziel N, Josse P, Madrigal J, Parks C, Sandler D, Andreotti G, Ward M, Hofmann J, Freeman L, Friesen M. Updating our quantification of non-occupational pesticide exposure in agricultural settings: A revised algorithm for the Agricultural Health Study. Environmental advances. 2026 Apr
Actkins K, Wise L, Wegienka G, Jukic A, Baird D, Harmon Q. Dairy Intake and Uterine Fibroid Development: A Prospective Study.
Journal of women's health (2002)
2026 Mar 18 [Epub ahead of print].
Abstract
Actkins K, Wise L, Wegienka G, Jukic A, Baird D, Harmon Q. Dairy Intake and Uterine Fibroid Development: A Prospective Study. Journal of women's health (2002). 2026 Mar 18
Nalini M, O'Brien K, Calafat A, Wang L, Feng J, Reese C, Xia B, Botelho J, Wang Y, Seyler T, Roh E, Tashakkori N, Blakney A, Xu K, Gail M, Blount B, Chang C, Abnet C, Sandler D, Freedman N, Etemadi A. Tobacco-related urinary biomarkers and lung cancer risk in women, a case-cohort analysis.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
2026 Mar 18 [Epub ahead of print].
Abstract
Nalini M, O'Brien K, Calafat A, Wang L, Feng J, Reese C, Xia B, Botelho J, Wang Y, Seyler T, Roh E, Tashakkori N, Blakney A, Xu K, Gail M, Blount B, Chang C, Abnet C, Sandler D, Freedman N, Etemadi A. Tobacco-related urinary biomarkers and lung cancer risk in women, a case-cohort analysis. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2026 Mar 18
Yi M, Montague Redecke S, Wang T, Bell-Hensley A, Li S, Massri A, Jukic A, DeMayo F. Impact of vitamin D deficiency on defective endometrial decidualization and the repressive role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the epigenomic network.
Pharmacological research
2026 Mar 17;227:108162.
Abstract
Yi M, Montague Redecke S, Wang T, Bell-Hensley A, Li S, Massri A, Jukic A, DeMayo F. Impact of vitamin D deficiency on defective endometrial decidualization and the repressive role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the epigenomic network. Pharmacological research. 2026 Mar 17
Hurwitz L, O'Brien K, Townsend M, Reid B, Fridley B, Fan W, Schabath M, Bodelon C, Chan A, Fortner R, Håkansson N, Harris H, Lacey J, Liao L, Merritt M, Patel A, Poynter J, Robien K, Sandler D, Wentzensen N, Wolk A, Zheng W, Tworoger S, Trabert B. Longer-term aspirin use and subsequent ovarian cancer risk in the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium.
International journal of epidemiology
2026 Feb 18;55(2):.
Abstract
Hurwitz L, O'Brien K, Townsend M, Reid B, Fridley B, Fan W, Schabath M, Bodelon C, Chan A, Fortner R, Håkansson N, Harris H, Lacey J, Liao L, Merritt M, Patel A, Poynter J, Robien K, Sandler D, Wentzensen N, Wolk A, Zheng W, Tworoger S, Trabert B. Longer-term aspirin use and subsequent ovarian cancer risk in the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium. International journal of epidemiology. 2026 Feb 18
More Recent Publications from PubMed
Requesting Data from Epidemiology Branch Studies
The Epidemiology Branch readily shares data for collaborative research and validation of published work. Please see
Data Sharing
within the
Resources
section.
Related Links
The Agricultural Health Study
The GuLF Study
Study of Environment, Lifestyle & Fibroids (SELF)
The Sister Study
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Last Reviewed: April 22, 2026