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Michael B. Fessler, M.D.
Chief, Clinical Research Branch;
Clinical Director and Chair - Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC);
Principal Investigator
Tel 984-287-4081
fesslerm@niehs.nih.gov
Research Summary
Many human diseases result from environmental exposures that can affect individuals who are genetically susceptible to the development of a disease. NIEHS has an active research program that investigates the mechanisms of such diseases. The mission of the Clinical Research Branch is to enhance NIEHS-led research by:
- Translating basic laboratory findings to humans
- Studying interactions between genetic susceptibility (host factors) and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of complex human traits and diseases
- Identifying populations at risk and developing novel preventative and therapeutic strategies to combat human diseases
- View all Clinical Studies performed by NIEHS
The Clinical Research Branch pursues this mission by:
- Developing resources and systems for NIEHS investigators involved in the conduct of human investigation
- Fostering growth in clinical research and building new areas of collaboration between basic and clinical scientists
- Providing an effective interface between investigators, health care professionals, the clinical research unit and other clinical facilities in the Research Triangle Park area.
- Developing and conducting clinical research educational programs for investigators, coordinators and administrators
- Minimizing obstacles to translational research at NIEHS
The Clinical Research Branch supports multiple NIEHS research groups that focus on a wide variety of environmental conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, reproductive diseases, neurological disorders, cancer, and many others. The branch’s ultimate goal is to combat environmentally-induced human disease in three substantive ways:
- Developing better diagnostic tools to identify high risk populations for environmentally induced diseases
- Developing novel therapeutic strategies
- Developing novel preventative strategies
Key Components of the Clinical Research Branch
Clinical Research Unit, North Carolina
Our facility allows our scientists to conduct studies that involve on-site human sample collection, analysis and functional assessment.
NIEHS Medical Student Research Fellowships
NIEHS offers one-year research fellowships for third-year medical students for medical students to train at NIEHS.
Office of Human Research and Community Engagement
Supports NIEHS scientists by ensuring that human research subjects' protection is at the forefront of clinical research planning, and engages to enhance health resiliency, disease prevention, and health.
PEGS: Personalized Environment and Genes Study
The Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) integrates genetic and environmental data to understand disease etiology, identify disease risk factors, and improve disease prevention.
Principal Investigators
Environmental Autoimmunity Group
Lisa G. Rider, M.D. Head and Senior Clinician Tel 301-451-6272 riderl@mail.nih.gov
Frederick W. Miller, M.D., Ph.D. (Retired) Scientist Emeritus Tel 984-287-3593 millerf@mail.nih.gov
Pediatric Neuroendocrinology Group
Natalie D. Shaw, M.D., MMSc. Senior Investigator Tel 984-287-3716 natalie.shaw@nih.gov
Reproductive Physiology & Pathophysiology Group
Janet E. Hall, M.D., M.S. (Retired) Senior Investigator Tel 617-877-1112 janet.hall@nih.gov
Contact
Lawrence S. Kirschner, M.D., Ph.D. Senior Clinician; Medical Director, NIEHS Clinical Research Unit Tel 984-287-3562 lawrence.kirschner@nih.gov
Support Staff
Beverly Sellers-Robinson Administrative Specialist Tel 301-451-6269 Fax 301-451-5586 sellersb@mail.nih.gov
Publications
- Lewis J, MacNell N, Buller I, Larson G, Fargo D, Schmitt C, Kirschner L, Reif D, Akhtari F, Justice C, House J, Messier K, Hall J, Motsinger-Reif A. Corrigendum to "Revisiting the modifiable areal unit problem in the era of exposome-wide association studies: Assessing the performance of the CDC/ATSDR social vulnerability index at privacy-protecting spatial scales" [Environ. Res. (2026) 124912]. Environmental research. 2026 Sep 15;306(Pt 2):125174. [ Abstract]
- Lewis J, MacNell N, Buller I, Larson G, Fargo D, Schmitt C, Kirschner L, Reif D, Akhtari F, Justice C, House J, Messier K, Hall J, Motsinger-Reif A. Corrigendum to "Revisiting the modifiable areal unit problem in the era of exposome-wide association studies: Assessing the performance of the CDC/ATSDR social vulnerability index at privacy-protecting spatial scales" [Environ. Res. (2026) 124912]. Environmental research. 2026 Sep 15;306(Pt 2):125146. [ Abstract]
- Yun C, Qiu J, Camargo M, Song L, LaBaer J, Hong H, Edie-Booker M, Kang B, Konrade I, Schiffenbauer A, Rider L, Miller F, Hasni S, Warner B, Leja M, Song M. Immunoproteomic Profiling of Autoantibodies and Antibodies against Infectious Agents in Autoimmune Diseases. Journal of proteome research. 2026 Sep 04;25(9):4407-4418. [ Abstract]
- Talreja T, Gupta L, Balse R, Miller F, Rider L, Schiffenbauer A. Environmental exposures and risks for the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and its phenotypes: a narrative review. Current opinion in rheumatology. 2026 Sep 02 [Epub ahead of print]. [ Abstract]
- Wedderburn L, Feldman B, Rider L. Juvenile Myositis: Insights on Classification, Pathogenesis, and Therapies Over the Past 50 Years. Arthritis care & research. 2026 Jul 13 [Epub ahead of print]. [ Abstract]
More Recent Publications from PubMed