Sonja A. Rasmussen, MD, MS
Physician
University of Florida College of Medicine
Dr. Sonja Rasmussen is a Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the College of Medicine and the College of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Florida. Dr. Rasmussen recently joined the University of Florida after 20 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. While there, she provided significant scientific expertise and leadership, including serving in leadership roles during several CDC responses to public health emergencies. Dr. Rasmussen’s research interests have focused on understanding causes of birth defects and other adverse pregnancy outcomes, the effects of medications during pregnancy on the fetus, morbidity and mortality related to genetic conditions, and the effects of infections during pregnancy on the pregnant woman and her fetus. She has authored over 230 peer-reviewed papers and is the lead editor of The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual published by Oxford University Press in 2019. Dr. Rasmussen is a past president of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention.
Christina D. Chambers, PhD, MPH
Professor
University of California–San Diego
Dr. Christina Chambers is the current President of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists and MotherToBaby and a past president of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention. She is a Professor in the School of Medicine at UC San Diego, Co-Director of the Center for Better Beginnings, and is Program Director of Mommy’s Milk, a human milk biorepository for research. Dr. Chambers leads a number of national and international complex longitudinal cohort studies and clinical trials of prenatal exposures and child health and development. Her research has been instrumental in identifying previously unrecognized human teratogens, as well as ruling out substantial risk for medications and vaccines.
Elise M. Lewis, PhD
2020 Program Chair and Vice President of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention
Charles River
Dr. Lewis is a native of Alabama, and she received both her Bachelor’s and Doctorate degrees from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. As an undergraduate, she was patterning herself to be a medical professional, particularly an Obstetrician. However, she diverged from this path and literally embarked upon a road that is less traveled, the field of toxicology. While in graduate school she was recipient of a Future Faculty Fellowship for minority students, and through her training in the field of toxicology, Dr. Lewis found a way to marry her interests in the medical field with a passion to prevent birth defects from intentional or unintentional exposure to drug products or chemicals. Simply put, she spends much of her time researching human health hazards that could cause embryo-fetal death, birth defects, growth retardation, or functional deficits. Today, Dr. Lewis is employed by Charles River Laboratories, Inc., a contract research organization that focuses on improving human and animal health by advancing the search for drugs from discovery through market approval. Dr. Lewis joined Charles River Laboratories, Inc. in 2001 as a Study Director in the area of Reproductive, Developmental, and Juvenile Toxicology. In this role, she had the opportunity to oversee the technical conduct of nonclinical laboratory studies that are critical to environmental safety and the health care industry, and are necessary prior to consideration of new compounds for regulatory approval as drug products, medical devices, vaccines, pesticides, and other products to which humans might be exposed. Over the years, she has successfully navigated her way through the scientific ranks within Charles River to become the Senior Director of Toxicology at the Horsham, Pennsylvania site. Dr. Lewis has authored or co authored multiple publications, books, and book chapters in various areas of developmental, reproductive, juvenile toxicology. In addition to her various roles within BDRP, she is a member of the European Teratology Society, the Society of Toxicology, the American College of Toxicology, the Mid-Atlantic Reproductive Toxicology Association, and the Association for Women in Science (Philadelphia Chapter). She is the current Vice President for BDRP and is the President-Elect of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association for Women in Science