Lora Fleming (LOA)

As the only board certified Occupational and Environmental Medicine Physician and Epidemiologist in South Florida, I serve in an unique role at the University of Miami. My areas of research and teaching are Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology. As the Co Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) University of Miami Oceans and Human Health Center (www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/ohh/), I work in the areas of Marine and Freshwater Toxins, Recreational Microbes, Environmental Human Health, and Epidemiologic issues. Working with various Center colleagues and others, I have created educational materials concerning the human health effects of marine and freshwater natural toxins, and performed research in Ciguatera Fish Poisoning, Florida Red Tides (Brevetoxins) and cyanobacterial toxins; currently, I am involved in a NIEHS-funded study of the human health effects of aerosolized red tide toxins (www.mote.org/niehsredtidestudy/) and in a CDC, FL DOH and OHH Center funded study of the possible human health effects of microbial pollution in recreational beach waters. With a group of interdisciplinary colleagues, I am exploring the health disparities, morbidity and mortality of US workers in the National Health Interview Survey funded by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (www.umiamiorg.com), as well as issues of second hand smoke on worker health and the prevention of tobacco-related diseases. As Medical Director of the Florida Cancer Data System (www.fcds.miami.edu/), Florida’s incident cancer registry, I work with researchers and students to promote work in cancer epidemiology and prevention, and health disparities in Florida. I teach physicians and residents, and PhD and Masters of Public Health, medical, law, architecture, and undergraduate students in environmental and occupational health and epidemiology. I also act as a Consultant in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology both locally and internationally, and I serve on a number of University, State and National Taskforces and Committees.

Fleisher JH, Fleming LE, Solo Gabriele HM, Kish JK, Sinigalliano C, Plano L, Elmir SM, Wang J, Withum K, Shibata T, Gidley M, Abdelzaher A, He G, Ortega C, Zhu X, Wright M, Hollenbeck J, Backer LC. The BEACHES Study: Health Effects and Exposures from Non-point Source Microbial Contaminants in Subtropical Recreational Marine Waters. International J Epidemiology June 2010:1-8.

Kirkpatrick B, Fleming LE, Bean JA, Nierenberg K, Backer LC, Cheng YS, Pierce R, Reich A, Naar J, Wanner A, Abraham WM, Zhou Y, Hollenbeck J, Baden DG. Aerosolized Red Tide Toxins (Brevetoxins) and Asthma: Continued health effects after 1 hour beach exposure Harmful Algae in press

Fleming LE, Kirkpatrick B, Backer LC, Walsh CJ, Nierenberg K, Clark J, Reich A, Hollenbeck J, Benson J, Cheng YS, Naar J, Pierce R, Bourdelais AJ, Abraham WM, Kirkpatrick G, Zaias J, Wanner A, Mendes E, Shalat S, Hoagland P, Stephan W, Bean J, Watkins S, Clarke T, Byrne M, Baden DG. Review of Florida Red Tide and Human Health Effects Harmful Algae in press

Caban Martinez AJ, Lee DJ, Goodman E, Davila EP, Fleming LE, LeBlanc WG, Arheart KL, McCollister KE, Christ SL, Zimmerman FJ, Muntaner C. Health Indicators among Unemployed and Employed Young Adults. JOEM in press