Charlene Bayer |
||
Education Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Emory University 1981 Bio At Georgia Tech, is presently Head of the Environmental Exposures and Analysis Branch (EEAB) of the Health and Environmental Systems Laboratory and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering . A leading national expert in the field of indoor air environmental analysis and design. Much of her current research focuses on understanding the relationship between environmental exposures and diseases; investigating biomarkers of exposure and disease particularly focusing on neurotrophins and other inflammatory and oxidative stress markers; developing breath and saliva analyses as non-invasive methods for disease detection; proteomics; and nanotechnology health and safety particularly for manufacturing. For over 23 years she has led research programs investigating all aspects of the indoor environment, such as building diagnostics; product emissions; contaminant sources identification and control; air cleaner technology development; novel ventilation systems and strategic ventilation strategies; effects of airborne exposures on asthma and respiratory health; schools indoor air quality; real-time instrumentation development, methods development for airborne species; methodology development for measurement of gas-phase filtration removal efficiency; indoor air quality management plans development; and interfacing indoor air quality and energy efficiency. Her research team has investigated indoor environmental quality in more than 50 buildings and 30 schools. Specializes in separations sciences and mass spectrometry of environmental samples, particularly of air quality analysis. Areas of expertise involve development of new methods and use of current methods for organic compound determination in environmental matrices by all modes of separation sciences. Research includes chromatographic determination and mass spectrometric determination of volatile organic compounds; respiratory disease and its relationship to environmental exposures; development of personal exposure monitoring instrumentation; breath biomarkers of exposure; proteomics research into biomarkers of exposure; source characterization of indoor pollutants using environmental chambers; determination of trace airborne contaminants from various sources, including environmental tobacco smoke; development of new chromatographic methods and spectrometric methods for trace species identifications and detection; development of air cleaning media; and analysis of air cleaning systems and materials; building operation and maintenance practices and policies; and mass spectral analysis of environmental species. Current Fields of Interest Investigating the relationship between environmental exposures and diseases; investigating biomarkers of exposure and disease particularly focusing on neurotrophins and other inflammatory and oxidative stress markers; developing breath and saliva analyses as non-invasive methods for disease detection; proteomics; and nanotechnology health and safety particularly for manufacturing. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric detection and identification of airborne organic species; causal links between asthma and other respiratory diseases and environmental exposures; development of personal exposure monitoring instrumentation; methods development for the sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds in the indoor atmosphere and consumer products using thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass; detection and identification of trace airborne contaminants from consumer products and other complex mixtures using environmental chamber techniques; improved sample collection techniques for airborne organic species; more accurate compound identification with mass spectrometry; building operation and maintenance practices and policies; development of new media for air cleaner technology, and air cleaner technology. |