Center Expertise: Population Health
Dr. Rohlman’s research activities have focused on the design, development, and validation of computerized test methods to assess neurotoxic effects and neurological disorders in humans exposed to chemical and physical agents. Her numerous research projects employ neurobehavioral and psychological test methods to study populations of all ages, with emphasis on the detection and characterization of impaired populations exposed to workplace hazards. She has extended the methods developed for adult working populations, to children and adolescents. These methods have been applied in research examining the effects of pesticide exposures in migrant workers and families, wartime stressors in Persian Gulf Veterans, and chemical exposures in Air Force fuelers. She has conducted research examining exposure and health effects in agricultural communities including Hispanic seasonal and migrant workers. Her current research is focused on identifying and characterizing adverse effects of pesticide exposure, specifically organophosphate exposure, on neurobehavioral performance. Dr. Rohlman has also been part of the development of computerized training methods for use in the workplace. The cTRAIN software has been used in agricultural settings, construction with immigrant workers, construction workers, office workers, and graduate students. Her research involves the use of neurobehavioral methods to examine pesticide exposure in children whose parents apply pesticides, refugees working in Lebanon, young children in the Philippines exposed to pesticides and Egyptian cotton workers. Her work in Egypt was featured in a NIOSH science blog.