• News
  • Contact Us

Charlotte H. "Charlene" Edinboro, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Public Health & Industrial Hygiene

Professional Profile


Dr. Edinboro has a diverse background in several disciplines including epidemiology, veterinary medicine, and aerospace engineering.

Dr. Edinboro’s experience in epidemiology includes cancer epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology, exposure assessment, and pharmacoepidemiology. At Exponent, Dr. Edinboro has reviewed medical, epidemiologic, and toxicologic literature on numerous subjects, and provided estimates of incidence or prevalence of specific diseases for epidemiologic evaluations of environmental and occupational exposures. Dr. Edinboro has prepared state-of-the-art reviews for reports and manuscripts on environmental perchlorate exposures and thyroid function, as well as smoking, cardiovascular disease, and magnetic field exposure. Projects have included an analysis of newborn screening data and potential perchlorate exposure in drinking water, technical support to an expert panel and a manufacturer evaluating applicability of a screening test for occupational beryllium exposure, and research support for a project evaluating dietary supplements and potential adverse health outcomes. Dr. Edinboro reviewed evidence in a case alleging PCB exposure associated with neonatal foal morbidity and mortality. She used all facets of her education and experience in a dairy inspection where use of robotic milking machines was associated with reportedly higher rates of mastitis than before their use. Dr. Edinboro has participated in a safety evaluation of dog treat ingredients, in human food-borne outbreak investigations, and in projects related to animal disease potentially due to feeds or environmental exposures. Dr. Edinboro has provided a review of literature for potential health effects of fiducial marker use in several new applications, and has participated in other medical device projects. Her research has included studies of dietary and environmental risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism, clinical trials of vaccines in dogs and cats at humane shelters to evaluate effectiveness, and evaluation of the impact of repeated vaccination on the immune status of Great Danes. Her research interests include potential impacts of dietary and environmental exposures on the thyroid, small animal population disease control, and companion animals as sentinels for human health. Dr. Edinboro is a member of the American Thyroid Association’s Public Health Committee (2007–2010).

Dr. Edinboro holds an active California veterinary license. As a small animal veterinarian, she has performed routine physical examinations and treatment, preventive care, routine surgeries, emergency medicine, and shelter animal medicine, including population disease control, forensics, zoonosis identification, and wildlife medicine. Dr. Edinboro is active with the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association, serving as the 2008 president, and she has been a liaison with a local animal rescue group, a large humane society, and the local county health department. She volunteers as a feral cat spay/neuter clinic veterinarian.

Dr. Edinboro has over 20 years of experience in aerospace engineering. She worked in spacecraft control systems analysis, simulation software design and implementation, and systems engineering, including requirements analysis, implementation, integration and test, documentation development, and on-site customer support for a variety of applications. As a team member, team leader, and coordinator of teams from diverse subcontractors, Dr. Edinboro has worked on several spacecraft programs and systems.

  • Ph.D., Comparative Epidemiology, Purdue University, 2002
  • DVM, Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, 1990
  • M.S., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, 1976
  • B.S., Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, 1975
  • Oxford Laboratories Award for Excellence in Advancing Knowledge of Small Animal Endocrinology, Society for Comparative Endocrinology, 2005
  • Recipient of Kenneth Scott Fellowship in Epidemiology and Animal Welfare, Purdue University, 1997–2001
  • Phi Zeta Veterinary Medicine Honor Society
  • Who’s Who of American Women, 20th Edition, 1997-1998
  • Outstanding Young Women of America, 1986
  • TRW Certificate of Appreciation for the IUS Avionics Software Project
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for Voyager Spacecraft System Design and Development
  • NASA Group Achievement Award for Voyager Flight Operations
  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Outstanding Student Branch Member, Purdue University, 1975–1976
  • Sigma Gamma Tau Aerospace Engineering Honor Society
  • Purdue University Special Merit and Alumni Association Scholarships

    • Veterinarian, California Veterinary Medical Board

    • Affiliate, University of Florida Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program