Who We Are: Melanie B.

Headshot of Melanie B., Toxicological Profile Manager

ATSDR Role: Toxicological Profile Manager

Years of Service: 8

“We are working hard to help protect the public health and better understand environmental exposures.”

— Melanie B., Toxicological Profile Manager

Melanie develops toxicological profiles for ATSDR. Developing a “tox profile” can take anywhere from a year to three years. The process involves researching peer-reviewed papers and all other relevant studies of the substance she is profiling. Melanie pays special attention to the health effects noted in the research. The primary purpose of a tox profile is to help federal, state, and local health professionals make real-time decisions based on a particular substance’s potential threat to human health. Toxicological profiles go through rigorous internal and external review before being published online.

She enjoys working as a technical manager on a Tox Profile team because it presents an opportunity to collaborate with people inside and outside of ATSDR. Whether in the office or in the field, Melanie stresses that ATSDR’s mission is to protect the public’s health. “We’re here and working hard to better understand the environmental exposures out there–to protect public health and well-being.”

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Page last reviewed: December 8, 2020