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Home > Professionals > John M. DeSesso, Ph.D., DABFM, DABFE, FACFEI, CHS-V, Fellow ATS

John M. DeSesso, Ph.D., DABFM, DABFE, FACFEI, CHS-V, Fellow ATS

Senior Managing Scientist & Office Director

Toxicology & Mechanistic Biology
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(571) 227-7261 tel
(571) 227-7299 fax

Alexandria

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Professional Profile


Dr. DeSesso specializes in the areas of developmental and reproductive toxicology, general toxicology, risk assessment, and human health effects of environmental agents and pharmaceuticals. His research interests include normal and abnormal development, with emphasis on the mechanisms by which chemical and physical agents influence developing organisms.

Dr. DeSesso holds adjunct professorships at Georgetown University School of Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (Chicago Medical School), and the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University. DeSesso has been invited frequently to serve as the chairman of scientific sessions at national and international scientific meetings, especially those involving mechanisms or amelioration of developmental toxicity and human health risk assessment. He has published more than 260 papers, chapters, and reports, and has presented at 200+ conferences and symposia.

Dr. DeSesso’s broad background in health science has been recognized in diverse scientific positions. Prior to joining Exponent, he held various positions at Noblis/Mitretek Systems, where he directed commercially and governmentally funded public interest research efforts on the potential adverse effects of environmental agents. Projects include assessing the potential for inorganic arsenic contamination to cause human birth defects, investigating the possible reproductive toxicity of a commonly used ingredient of consumer products, and assessing the possible teratogenicity of a novel ingredient used in veterinary medicine. He provided key expertise in human health risk assessment, including negotiation of risk assessment protocols on a site-specific basis. He wrote the Air Force approach to ecological risk, and is a co-author of multiple in-depth hazard evaluations of the widely encountered environmental contaminant trichloroethylene that addressed its potential human carcinogenicity and its potential to cause adverse effects in developing babies. The published findings of these studies contribute to its ongoing regulatory re-evaluation.

During 15 years at The MITRE Corporation, he wrote health hazard assessments for the EPA Office of Toxic Substances in support of its Pre-Manufacturing Notification Program. For EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, Dr. DeSesso analyzed toxicity data submitted for registration of pesticides. For the EPA Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, he wrote assessment documents concerning the carcinogenicity, toxicology, and reproductive effects of existing chemical substances. For the FDA, Dr. DeSesso led a team that assessed the relevance to human health of direct bladder exposure studies conducted in rodents. He was named to the EPA/ILSI National Work Group on Rodent Bladder Cancer, where he helped to establish rational and scientific approaches for applying rodent bladder cancer study results to human health risk assessment. He also served on a team that studied the health effects of refined menhaden oil during FDA’s consideration of its generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status.

Dr. DeSesso is active in 14 scientific societies and was elected President of the Teratology Society (1994–1995) and of the Mid Atlantic Reproduction and Teratology Association (MARTA; 2001–2002). He served as an Executive Board member of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB; 1999–2004; 2006–2009). He is a frequent contributor to continuing education courses that deal with toxicology and risk assessment. He has provided public commentary regarding scientific issues before federal agencies, state legislatures, and congressional committees.

  • Ph.D., Anatomy and Teratology, Virginia Commonwealth University (Medical College of Virginia), 1975
  • A.B., Chemistry, Hamilton College, 1968
  • Fellow, Academy of Toxicological Sciences, 1999
  • Fellow, American College of Forensic Examiners, 1998

    • Certified by American Board of Homeland Security
      – Level III, 2003 
      – Level IV (Incident Command Management and Terrorism), 2005 
      – Level V (CBRNE Preparedness), 2005
    • Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Examiners (Board Certified Forensic Examiner), 1995
    • Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Medicine (Board Certified in Forensic Medicine), 1995

    • Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, 1983-present
    • Visiting Professor, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science: The Chicago Medical School, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1993-present
    • Adjunct Professor, San Diego State University/Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Toxicology, 1994-present
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