Gwen W. Collman

Gwen W. Collman is a renowned figure in the field of environmental health sciences, particularly known for her contributions to the understanding of how environmental factors impact human health. She currently serves as the Director of the Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Early Life and Education

Gwen W. Collman was born and raised in the United States. She pursued her undergraduate studies in biology and later earned her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Career

Collman began her career at the NIEHS in 1992, where she initially worked as a health scientist administrator in the Susceptibility and Population Health Branch. She later served as the Chief of the Susceptibility and Population Health Branch and the Acting Director of the Division of Extramural Research and Training before assuming her current role as the Director of DERT.

As the Director of DERT, Collman oversees the institute's extramural research programs and initiatives, which aim to understand how environmental exposures affect human health and how individuals differ in their susceptibility to these exposures. She has been instrumental in developing new research directions and initiatives, including the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers and the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program.

Research and Contributions

Collman's research primarily focuses on the impact of environmental exposures on human health. She has made significant contributions to the field of environmental health sciences, particularly in understanding the role of environmental factors in the development of diseases such as cancer and respiratory diseases.

Her work has led to the development of innovative research strategies and methodologies, which have been widely adopted in the field. She has also been a strong advocate for the integration of environmental justice considerations into environmental health research.

Awards and Recognition

Over the course of her career, Collman has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to environmental health sciences. These include the NIEHS Director's Merit Award and the NIH Director's Award.