Gunter Oberdorster's Biography

Gunter Oberdorster, Professor, University of Rochester

Günter Oberdörster is Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine, and he directed the University of Rochester Ultrafine Particle Center at the University of Rochester. He studies the toxicology of airborne environmental and occupational particles and nanoparticles. Prof. Oberdörster's work has shown that nanoparticles can induce greater inflammatory lung injury than larger-sized particles with the same chemical composition. His research investigates effects and underlying mechanisms of ultrafine particle-induced lung injury as well as effects in secondary organs such as the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

Prof. Oberdörster also investigates the unique biokinetics and toxicological potential of engineered nanoparticles, and the propensity of these particles of different shapes, chemistries, and surface characteristics to translocate from the site of deposition in the respiratory tract to extrapulmonary organs such as heart, liver, bone marrow and brain. Objectives of these studies are the examination of the influence of physicochemical properties of nanoparticles on their effects and biokinetics with the ultimate goal of risk extrapolation to humans.

Prof. Oberdörster is recipient of several scientific awards and has served on many national and international advisory committees including the EPA's Science Advisory Board committees, the Board of Scientific Counselors of the US National Toxicology Program, the NRC's Committee on Toxicology, the World Health Organization, the IUPAC Commission on Toxicology, the ad hoc Expert Group on Chemicals Bureau of the European Commission, OECD Working Group and an advisory panel of the German Research Association. He has served on NRC's Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter, and for a Research Strategy for EHS aspects of engineered nanomaterials. He is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Aerosol Medicine; Particle & Fibre Toxicology; Nanotoxicology; International J. Hygiene & Environmental Health; Nanomaterials and the Environment, and Associate Editor of Environmental Health Perspectives.