The Health Effects Institute
"A Partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Industry"

HEI Annual Conference 2002

Air Pollution:
Integrating Exposure and Effects

 April 28–30, 2002
Bell Harbor International Conference Center
Seattle, WA

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Scientific Program  Final - March 26, 2002

HEI Program Coordinators
        Maria Costantini
        Debra Kaden

Sunday April 28, afternoon session

12:30 pm     Lunch

2:00 pm     Children’s Susceptibility to Environmental Pollutants
Chairs: Frank Speizer, Harvard Medical School and HEI Research Committee; John Hoidal, University of Utah Health Sciences and HEI Review Committee
Children are thought to be potentially very sensitive to environmental pollutants. In the last few years a number of research and policy initiatives have been initiated specifically to protect children’s health. The purpose of this session is to discuss some of these initiatives and the bases for children’s enhanced susceptibility, with particular emphasis on the nervous and the immune systems. Other topics to be covered include environmental justice and the Southern California Children's Health Study.

2:00 pm	Introduction, Frank Speizer
2:10 pm	Personal factors affecting susceptibility in children, Mark Miller, California Environmental Protection Agency
2:35 pm	Research and policy initiatives, William Farland, US Environmental Protection Agency
3:00 pm	Gene by environment interactions: Role of development and aging, Robert Wright, Boston Children's Hospital
3:30 pm	Break
3:50 pm	Development and sensitivity of the immune system, David Peden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
4:20 pm	Societal factors, Luz Claudio, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
4:45 pm	Southern California Children's Health study, Frank Gilliland, University of Southern California
5:15 pm	Concluding remarks and discussion, John Hoidal
5:30 pm	Session adjourns

6:00 pm     Opening Reception

7:00 pm     Dinner and Keynote Address

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Monday April 29, morning session

7:30 am       Breakfast

8:30 am      Cardiovascular Effects of Particulate Matter
Chairs: David Bates, University of British Columbia; Stephen Rennard, University of Nebraska Medical Center and HEI Research Committee
Epidemiologic studies have shown an association between recent exposure to PM and increased mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular and respiratory causes. Trying to understand the biological mechanisms underlying these associations has been a major focus of research over the last several years. Speakers will present an overview of the cardiac and vascular systems, describe the relevance of reported PM-related changes in cardiovascular function, and discuss recent findings in this area.

8:30 am	Introduction to session, Stephen Rennard
	Overviews
8:40 am		Cardiac electrophysiology, Ferdinand Venditti, University of Albany Medical School
9:10 am		Vascular function, Marshall Corson, University of Washington
	Research presentations
9:35 am		Recent findings on the role of PM on vascular parameters in humans, Robert Devlin, US Environmental Protection Agency
9:55 am		PM exposure and the onset of myocardial infarction, Annette Peters, GSF Institute of Epidemiology
10:10 am		Break
10:30 am		PM effects on systemic responses in animals, James Hogg, University of British Columbia
10:50 am		PM pollution and cardiac arrhythmia, Douglas Dockery, Harvard School of Public Health
11:05 am		Particulate air pollution and heart rate variability among adults with coronary artery disease in the Coachella Valley, California, Michael Lippsett, California Environmental Protection Agency
11:20 am		Effects of ultrafine (carbon) and fine PM (CAPs) on cardiovascular function in humans, Mark Frampton, University of Rochester Medical School
11:45 am	Discussion
12:00 pm	Summing up, David Bates
12:15 pm	Lunch, with poster viewing available

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Monday April 29, afternoon session

1:15 pm    Poster Session

3:15 pm    Emerging Issues and News
Chairs: Mark Utell, University of Rochester Medical School and Chair of the HEI Research Committee; Daniel Tosteson, Harvard Medical School and Chair of the HEI Review Committee
This session will update the audience on recent activities in the policy arena, HEI initiatives and initial results of the PM supersites.

3:15 pm	Introduction, Mark Utell
3:25 pm	Latest developments in the policy arena
		Working Group for FACA review of the heavy-duty diesel rule, Daniel Greenbaum, Health Effects Institute WHO Global Burden of Disease: Estimating the effects of PM on mortality in urban centers worldwide, Ross Anderson, St. George Hospital Medical School and HEI Review Committee
4:10 pm	Implementing the HEI Strategic Plan: Progress and next steps, Robert O'Keefe and Jane Warren, Health Effects Institute
4:35 pm	Emerging data from the PM Supersites, Joellen Lewtas, US Environmental Protection Agency
5:05 pm	Concluding remarks, Daniel Tosteson
5:15 pm	Session adjourns
6:00 pm	Buses leave for dinner at Museum of Flight (from Conference Center and Hotel)