Günter Oberdörster is the recipient of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) 2015 Merit Award. Dr. Oberdörster is a pioneer in the field of research on aerosol behavior in the respiratory tract. His research has encouraged many breakthroughs in our understanding of particle deposition, clearance, and effects in the respiratory tract. This research has focused on furthering our understanding of the influence of aerosol characteristics on the toxicity and underlying mechanisms of inhaled materials. His observations in intact mammals including human subjects have helped to advance our understanding of the role of particle dose-metrics with respect to mass, number, surface area, and chemical composition in the pathogenesis of respiratory tract diseases. Ground-breaking findings of Dr. Oberdörster and his colleagues are key to understanding the toxicity of nanomaterials and ensuring safety in many beneficial applications. Because of these accomplishments, he is widely known as the “Father of Nanotoxicology” in many circles.
Dr. Oberdörster’s early research at the Fraunhofer Institute on inhaled cadmium, nickel, and zinc compounds changed the understanding of the inhalation hazards of these elements. In the late 1970’s, Dr. Oberdörster visited the University of Rochester as a Visiting Faculty member which served only to nurture his interest in inhalation toxicology. In 1981, he was appointed Associate Professor there, promoted to Professor in 1989, and has continued making seminal contributions to the fields of aerosol sciences and respiratory toxicology through his research, teaching, and public service for four decades. During this time, he has authored or co-authored over 300 publications.
He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1964 and a PhD in Pharmacology in 1966 from the University of Giessen in Germany. He has been an SOT member since 1983, with a brief interruption for ~1 year in 2000. During this time, he has been very active within the Society having presented papers regularly at the SOT Annual Meeting and has organized and chaired many scientific sessions. He also has been very active with the Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section, where he had served as President and was the recipient of the Career Achievement Award in 1996. Dr. Oberdörster became an active member of the Nanotoxicology Specialty Section at its formation in 2009 and received a Special Recognition Award in 2014.