Grantee Research Project Results
Public/Private Partnership Center: Health Effects Institute
The Health Effects Institute (HEI) is an independent, nonprofit corporation chartered in 1980 to provide high-quality, impartial, and relevant science on the health effects of pollutants from motor vehicles and from other sources in the environment. Supported jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry (manufacturers and marketers of motor vehicles or engines), HEI has funded over 170 studies and published over 100 Research Reports, and several Special Reports, producing important research findings on the health effects of a variety of pollutants, including carbon monoxide, methanol and aldehydes, nitrogen oxides, diesel exhaust, ozone, and most recently, particulate air pollution. HEI has also been called upon periodically to produce special reports reviewing an entire area of scientific literature on topics such as the health effects of asbestos, diesel exhaust, and oxygenates in fuel.
To accomplish its mission, HEI:
- Identifies the highest priority areas for health effects research;
- Funds and oversees the conduct of high-quality research in these priority areas;
- Provides intensive, independent review of HEI-supported and related research;
- Integrates HEI’s research results with those of other institutions into coherent, broader evaluations of health effects;
- and Communicates the results of HEI research and analyses to public and private decision makers.
The HEI research program has addressed questions about the health effects associated with exposure to both regulated pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide, and unregulated pollutants such as diesel exhaust, aldehydes, and methanol. HEI has also funded studies to understand the mechanisms of diseases, to develop better methods to assess health effects and determine dose response relationships. The program has included theoretical, in vitro, animal, controlled human exposure, and epidemiological studies.The center has conducted research in several areas, including:
- Mobile Source Air toxics - which includes research on benzene and 1,3-butadiene, mechanisms of carcinogenicity and biomarkers of dose and effect, and the health effects of aldehydes;
- Oxygenated Fuels - the comparative metabolism and health effects of ethers used to increase gasoline oxygen content (MTBE);
- and Particulates - health effects of particulate air pollution and potential relationship to increased daily mortality.
HEI’s Board of Directors, chaired by Richard Celeste, consists of public figures in science and policy who are committed to the public-private partnership that is central to the HEI approach. The Institute’s scientific work is overseen by two independent scientific committees. The Health Research Committee works with the Institute’s scientific staff to develop and manage HEI’s research program. The Health Review Committee which has no role in selecting or overseeing studies, works with the Institute’s scientific staff to evaluate and interpret the results of HEI studies and related research. HEI’s priorities for research and special reviews are guided by the five-year HEI Strategic Plan, which is reviewed and updated annually after consultations with HEI sponsors and other interested parties.
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.