Michael L. Dourson, Ph.D., DABT

Phone: (513) 542-RISK (7475), extension 14
FAX: (513) 542-7487
EMAIL: Dr. Dourson

Mike Dourson directs Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA), a nonprofit corporation with a mission to protect public health. TERA develops partnerships among government, industry and other interested groups to address risk assessments of high visibility, such as formaldehyde, perchlorate, chloroform, and soluble nickel, and cooperative ventures such as the Voluntary Children’s Chemical Exposure Program (VCCEP) and the International Toxicity Estimates for Risk (ITER) database available at the National Library of Medicine’s ToxNet.  

Prior to TERA, Mike worked 15 years for EPA, holding several leadership roles and winning 4 bronze medals for joint efforts on specific key projects, such as the creation of EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).  Recently, Mike was awarded the Society of Toxicology’s Arnold J. Lehman award for major contributions that improve the scientific basis of risk assessment. 

Mike has co-published more than 90 papers on risk assessment methods, use of animal and human data in the assessment of risk, or assessments for specific chemicals. He has also co-authored well over 100 government risk assessment documents, made over 100 invited presentations, and chaired numerous sessions at scientific meetings and independent peer reviews.  

His professional elected positions include officer positions in the American Board of Toxicology, the Society of Toxicology (SOT), and the Society for Risk Analysis.  He is also a media resource specialist in risk assessment for the SOT, member on the editorial board of three journals, and vice chair of the NSF International Health Advisory Board.