Air Date: 6-24-2022|Episode 668
This week we welcome Dr. Bill Sothern, Chris Mikrut and Dr. Michael Berg to discuss their recent paper called Misalignment between Clinical Mold Antigen Extracts and Airborne Molds Found in Water-damaged Homes. We will look at the current antigen testing being done for mold allergies then discuss their results and what changes could be beneficial. The authors have collected a great deal of data from the real world that will be of interest to our audience and hopefully the medical community.
Dr. Bill Sothern is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, LEED AP, and Chief Operating Officer of Microecologies, Inc., a NYC-based indoor environmental consulting firm he founded in 1993. He earned his Doctorate in Public Health from CUNY, and is a recognized contributor to NYC DOHMH, NIEHS, HUD and WHO guidance documents. Bill is an active advocate for changes in law and policy that can improve health outcomes at the population level. He is the primary author of NYC Local Law 13 – 2014 that prohibits the use of paper-faced gypsum boards in moisture-prone building areas, which serves to reduce the occurrence of mold growth and the incidence of asthma. Bill is an active health researcher and is the lead author of the article Misalignment between Clinical Mold Antigen Extracts and Airborne Molds Found in Water-Damaged Homes published in the May 2022 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has conducted environmental assessments for schools, NGO’s and businesses throughout NYC to assess HVAC systems and implement ventilation controls to reduce airborne concentration levels of SARS-CoV-2 and thereby reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19 in schools and workplaces. Bill currently serves as a court-appointed independent consultant on mold, water damage and ventilation issues to the NYC Public Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Chris Mikrut is a Senior Investigator at Microecologies, Inc., an indoor environmental consulting firm in New York City. He earned his Masters Degree in Environmental and Occupational Health Science from Hunter College where he was awarded the prestigious National Institute of Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Scholarship. Chris is an EPA Certified Lead Risk Assessor and NYS Certified Mold Assessor, and over the past 10 years has conducted over 1,000 indoor air quality and indoor environmental inspections in residential and commercial settings involving water damage and mold growth conditions, chemical vapor emissions, construction dust and crystalline silica infiltration, lead-based paint hazards, and other indoor environmental exposure factors. Chris has been a key contributor to program development for response to mold, water damage, and exhaust ventilation issues in NYC Public Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) and administration of classroom and field training for NYCHA staff. Chris has also collaborated on several projects as part of Microecologies’ research team and is a co-author of the article Misalignment between Clinical Mold Antigen Extracts and Airborne Molds Found in Water-Damaged Homes published in the May 2022 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Dr. Michael Berg joined Eurofins EMLab P&K in 2005 and worked as Department Manager, Regional Director and Technical Director. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. Dr. Berg researched plant pathology and plant genetics as postdoctoral fellow at Oklahoma State University. He also worked in fungicide research for BASF in Germany. Dr. Berg engages in training and other educational events with focus on the topics of infection control, water risk management and molecular biology.
