Global Environmental Health
Disaster Research Response Program Marks 10 Years
August 09, 2024
Expert: Aubrey K. Miller, M.D., M.P.H., NIEHS Deputy Director for Scientific Coordination, Director of the NIH DR2 Program, and the Co-Chair for the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative
When a disaster unfolds, emergency responders and communities face a combination of exposure risks, hazardous conditions, and physical and mental stressors. However, the immediate and longer-term health effects of those factors often are not clearly understood. One of the main goals of the NIH Disaster Research Response (DR2) Program aims to improve how researchers collect data post-disaster, with the goal of improving community resilience to future emergencies. Led by NIEHS, DR2 provides resources, training, and networking opportunities to build a community of practice for the disaster research field. To commemorate the program’s 10th anniversary this year, DR2 program lead Dr. Aubrey Miller discusses program hallmarks, successes, and goals.
Aubrey K. Miller, M.D., M.P.H. is the NIEHS Deputy Director for Scientific Coordination, Director of the NIH DR2 Program, and the Co-Chair for the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative where he leads complex high-priority institute initiatives and programs across NIH, other federal agencies, academia, and international partners.
A retired captain of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Miller has engaged in numerous public health investigations and research studies on a range of topics, such as tuberculosis transmission among health workers; occupational exposures to asphalt fumes and hazardous mineral fibers; and exposures during oil spill cleanup.
He has contributed to the leadership and management of responses to large-scale disasters, such as major hurricanes; widespread asbestos contamination in Libby, Montana; the Sept. 11 attack and anthrax attacks of 2001; the H1N1 influenza outbreak; the Gulf Oil Spill; Ebola and Zika outbreaks; and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Miller earned an M.D. from Rush Medical College and an M.P.H. in environmental and occupational health and dual bachelor’s degrees in biology and political science from the University of Illinois. He has worked as an epidemiology intelligence service officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has held senior medical officer positions with the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Secretary; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
References
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2024. Deepwater Horizon – BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. [accessed 30 July 2024].
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident [accessed 30 July 2024].
Lurie N, Manolio T, Patterson AP, Collins F, Frieden T. Research as a part of public health emergency response. N Engl J Med. 2013 Mar 28;368(13):1251-5.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) National Centers for Environmental Information. Significant Earthquake Information. [accessed 30 July 2024].
U.S. Geological Survey. 2010. The MW 7.0 Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010; USGS/EERI Advance Reconnaissance Team report. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey