Dr. David Christiani graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine. He completed training in Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology at HSPH. In 1987, he joined the faculties of HMS and HSPH, and is currently a Professor at both schools. His research interests have emphasized environmental molecular epidemiology and biomarkers, and he is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in the field. His work has focused on gene-environment interactions in acute diseases (e.g., acute lung injury) and chronic diseases (e.g., lung cancer, occupational airways disease). His work has had a strong translational emphasis, as he has led studies that combine the application of genetic markers as well as biomarkers of exposure and effect in populations ranging from hospital-based case-control studies to panel studies of exposed workers and community populations in the U.S. and abroad. A physician-scientist, he maintains practice in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Pulmonary Disease at MGH in Boston, where he directs the molecular epidemiology research group. At HSPH, he directs the Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program in the Department of Environmental Health, a program with an annual budget of 15 million dollars for research and education, 90% of which is from NIH. Dr. Christiani was made a member of the Executive Committee of the DF/HCC in 2006. He co-directs the Lung Cancer Program (with Dr. Johnson) within the DF/HCC and is the co-PI of the Lung Cancer SPORE program (PI B.E. Johnson, MD). As the Center Director and Lead Physician-Scientist, Dr. Christiani has a long and established record of active collaboration. Dr. Christiani has received extensive funding from NIH over his career, including a P01 from the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, P01 ES/CA 06409) and three R01 grants. In June 2006, Dr. Christiani was selected by the NIH Director to be a member of the Environmental Health Sciences Advisory Council of the NIEHS.
