Welcome, Dr. Patrick Kerzic, DABT!

CTEH is proud to have some of the brightest scientific minds on our team. And our newest senior toxicologist is no exception. Based in our Southern California office, Dr. Kerzic is a board-certified toxicologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. During his noteworthy career, he has worked in biotechnology, academia and as a regulator in the U.S., China and Singapore. He joins us from the California Environmental Protection Agency, where he conducted risk assessments, wrote regulatory documents and communicated with communities affected by releases of toxic substances. Learn more about Dr. Kerzic below:

Why did you decide to join CTEH? 
There aren’t many companies in our field that are able to offer what CTEH does. For example, CTEH is able to simultaneously collect data and interpret it. In my previous positions, I helped oversee select components of projects. Here, I have the opportunity to be part of projects from start to finish. Most of all, I’m excited about the opportunity to work with CTEH’s well-respected, top-notch professionals to help fulfill its mission to safeguard individuals, communities and the environment. It’s a cause I’ve been passionate about my entire career.

Can you give us a brief overview of your previous research?
For more than 20 years, I have conducted research on diseases of the blood. While in Shanghai, I conducted studies on potential environmental causes of leukemia, lymphoma and other blood disorders. In addition, I completed clinical and molecular investigations into the mechanisms of leukemia development.

What will your new role with CTEH entail? 
I will use my research background to serve as a scientific expert. Take, as an example, my knowledge of benzene. This is a colorless, sweet-smelling flammable liquid that is formed from volcanoes, forest fires, crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke. It is one of the 20 most widely used chemicals in the U.S., which is used to create plastics, synthetics fibers, drugs and pesticides. Because of my experience, I will be able to provide guidance to our partners on the properties, effects and potential impacts of this chemical and many others.

Want to know more about Dr. Kerzic? Check out his LinkedIn or share your questions on Facebook.