Michael Madden, PhD

About

Dr. Mike Madden is a research biologist working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Chapel Hill, NC. He examines biological responses and health effects in people exposed to ambient air pollution, including particulate matter (PM), ozone, oxides of nitrogen, aldehydes, diesel engine exhaust, and biofuels combustion emissions. His work also involves validating biomarkers of exposure, and identifying potentially sensitive and susceptible populations. His research strategies employ the use of an array of approaches from in vitro exposures of cells to controlled exposures with animal models, with additional controlled and field studies of exposed subjects. In 2003, he was awarded an EPA Gold Medal (the highest honor the Agency bestows on employees for environmental improvement and public service) as part of a team for their research on ambient airborne PM toxicity. As a steward and officer in the local American Federation of Government Employees Union, he promotes the welfare of EPA bargaining unit employees. Additionally Mike holds adjunct faculty positions at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC) in the Curriculum in Toxicology and also the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. He has mentored dozens of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students, and postdoctoral fellows in the early stages of their research careers. Mike served as an Associate Editor for Inhalation Toxicology 2004-2015, and is on the Editorial staff of the Journal of Breath Research.

Mike was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree (1977) from Manhattan College, starting his research career examining killifish ecology in New York City marshes. At Manhattan, he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi societies. Examining the pharmacokinetics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oil spills using oysters led to a Master of Science degree (1980) at the University of Georgia. Mike received a Ph.D. in toxicology from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1986. Switching his research emphasis from water to air pollution, he examined alterations in lung lipid metabolism with ozone exposure for his doctoral research. Mike was a postdoctoral fellow and research associate at UNC until 1995 when he joined the EPA. While a student at UNC, he started participating in both the National SOT and Regional SOT Chapter meetings, and became a Councilor for the Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section from 2003-2005, and President of the Occupational and Public Health Specialty Section 2011-2012. He has been President of the UNC-Chapel Hill Chapter of Sigma Xi, and is the current Vice President. For community outreach, Mike has coached Special Olympians in his county year round (swimming, soccer, basketball, softball, cycling, track) for the past 18 years, and has served as a Board Director of the Arc of the Triangle for the past 6 years, including President for 2 years.

Representative Courses

ENVR 732, 640, 430 Lectures

Research Activities

-Biological responses and health effects in people exposed to ambient air pollution, including particulate matter (PM), ozone, oxides of nitrogen, aldehydes, diesel engine exhaust, and biofuels combustion emissions.

-Validating biomarkers of exposure, and identifying potentially sensitive and susceptible populations.

Education