Dominik D. Alexander, Ph.D., MSPH

Dr. Alexander has extensive experience in health research methodology, particularly in the conceptualization, design, analysis, and interpretation of epidemiologic studies. Dr. Alexander has published on a diverse range of topics and types of studies, including original epidemiologic research, qualitative reviews, and quantitative meta-analyses. He has conducted numerous “state of the art” reviews on complex medical and scientific issues, and he has experience in statistical computing, including multivariate regression analysis and meta-analysis techniques for analyzing epidemiologic data across studies.

Since joining Exponent, Dr. Alexander has been involved in numerous projects related to occupational and environmental exposures and cancer outcomes. For example, he has examined the association between trichloroethylene exposure and several types of cancer; benzene and other solvent exposures and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia; low-level arsenic exposure in drinking water and bladder cancer; hexavalent chromium exposure and stomach cancer; and asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. He has also evaluated potential health risks associated with dioxin exposure.

In addition, Dr. Alexander has extensive experience in nutritional epidemiology, and has worked on several projects related to dietary factors and a variety of health outcomes. His work in this area includes conducting a comprehensive qualitative epidemiologic assessment of meat consumption and cancer, quantitatively evaluating the association between red and processed meat and a variety of cancer types, examining the role of partially hydrolyzed whey formula in reducing the risk of atopic dermatitis among infants, and assessing how fast food consumption is evaluated scientifically. He has presented his nutritional epidemiology research in a variety of professional venues, such as national conventions, scientific conferences, and governmental regulatory forums.

Dr. Alexander is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) where he was awarded a National Cancer Institute Fellowship for Cancer Prevention and Control. While at UAB, he worked closely with the Department of Pathology, where he designed and implemented epidemiologic studies pertaining to colorectal cancer survival. In particular, he evaluated racial disparities in survival. He conducted an analysis of tumor differentiation among colon cancer patients, and found that racial disparity in survival was largely attributable to aggressive tumor behavior among African American patients with poorly differentiated tumors. Prior to his graduate work at UAB, Dr. Alexander worked at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. While there, he worked on a clinical trial comparing two imaging modalities, digital vs. film mammography, for the Digital Medical Imaging Program in the Department of Radiology.

Mink PJ, Alexander DD, Barraj LM, Kelsh MA, Tsuji JS. Low-level arsenic exposure in drinking water and bladder cancer: a review and meta-analysis. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2008, in press. Epub ahead of print: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2008.08.010.

Kelsh MA, Alexander DD, Kalmes RM, Buffler PA. Personal use of hair dyes and risk of bladder cancer: A meta-analysis of epidemiologic data. Cancer Causes Control 2008; 19(6):549–558.

Mandel JH, Kelsh M, Mink PJ, Alexander DD. Trichloroethylene exposure and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Supportive evidence. Occup Environ Med. 2008; 65:147–148.

Alexander DD, Waterbor J, Hughes T, Funkhouser E, Grizzle W, Manne U. Racial disparities in colorectal cancer mortality and survival by data source: an epidemiologic review. Cancer Biomark 2007; 3(6):301–13.

Alexander DD, Kelsh MA, Mink PJ, Mandel JS, Basu R, Weingart M. A meta-analysis of occupational trichloroethylene exposure and liver cancer. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2007 Nov; 81(2):127–143.

Alexander DD. An environmental cause of orofacial cleft defects or an unexplained cluster? South Med J. 2007 Jun; 100(6):553–534.

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Adami HO, Cole P, Mandel JS, Oken MM, Trichopoulos D. Multiple myeloma: a review of the epidemiologic literature. Int J Cancer 2007; 120 Suppl 12:40-61.

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Adami HO, Chang ET, Cole P, Mandel JS, Trichopoulos D. The non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas: a review of the epidemiologic literature. Int J Cancer 2007; 120 Suppl 12:1-39.

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Mandel JH, Kelsh M. A meta-analysis of occupational trichloroethylene exposure and multiple myeloma or leukemia. Occup Med (Lond) 2006; 56(7):485–493.

Mandel JH, Kelsh M, Mink PJ, Alexander D, Kalmes R, Weingart M, Yost L, Goodman, M. Occupational trichloroethylene exposure and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: a review and meta-analysis. Occup Environ Med. 2006; 63(9):597-607.

Chatla C, Jhala N, Katkoori V, Alexander D, Meleth S, Grizzle WE, Manne U. Recurrence and survival predictive value of phenotypic expression of bcl-2 varies with tumor stage of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Biomarkers 2005; 1(4–5):241–250.

Alexander D, Jhala N, Chatla C, Steinhauer J, Funkhouser E, Coffey C, Grizzle WE, Manne U. High grade tumor differentiation is an indicator of poor prognosis among African Americans with colonic adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2005; 103(10):2163–2170.

Saif MW, Alexander D, Wicox CM. Serum alkaline phosphatase level as a prognostic tool in colorectal cancer: A study of 105 patients. J Appl Res 2005; 5(1):88–95.

Alexander D, Chatla C, Funkhouser E, Meleth S, Grizzle WE, Manne U. Postsurgical disparity in survival between African Americans and Caucasians with colonic adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2004; 101(1):66–76.

Manne U, Alexander D, Chatla C. Postsurgical disparity in survival between African Americans and Caucasians with colonic adenocarcinoma. Cancer 2004; 101(12):2900 (Author Reply).

Book Chapters

Kelsh MA, Alexander DD. Occupational and environmental epidemiology. In: Encyclopedia of Epidemiology 2007, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Abstracts

Manne U, Grizzle WE, Alexander DD, Katkoori V. Racial differences in colorectal cancer: the need to educate clinicians and researchers for improved patient care. American Association for Cancer Education, 41st Annual Meeting, Birmingham, AL, October 2007.

Gatto NM, Alexander DD, Kelsh MA. A meta-analysis of occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium and stomach cancer. 19th Annual International Society of Environmental Epidemiology Conference, Mexico City, Mexico, September 5–9, 2007.

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Mandel JH, Kelsh MA. A meta-analysis of occupational trichloroethylene exposure and multiple myeloma or leukemia. Proceedings 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, June 2006.

Kelsh MA, Mandel JH, Mink PJ, Weingart M, Alexander DD, Goodman M. A meta-analysis of kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and occupational trichloroethylene exposure. Proceedings, 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, June 2006.

Mink PJ, Alexander DD, Barraj L, Kelsh MA, Tsuji J. Meta-analysis of low level arsenic exposure and bladder cancer. Proceedings, 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, June 2006.

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Butchko H. How “fast food” is used and interpreted in scientific research: methodological considerations. Proceedings, Experimental Biology 2006, San Francisco, CA, April 2006.

Kapica CM, Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Butchko H. The definition of fast food in published studies. Proceedings, Experimental Biology 2006, San Francisco, CA, April 2006.

Alexander D, Chatla C, Funkhouser E, Jhala N, Grizzle WE, Manne U. Racial differences in survival based on tumor differentiation and stage in patients who have undergone surgery for colon cancer. J Clin Oncol 2004; 22:14S (July Supplement).

Alexander D, Funkhouser E, Saif M. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) as a prognostic tool in colorectal cancer (CRC). Proceedings, American Society of Clinical Oncology 2003; 22:354.

Malhotra P, Kallergi M, Alexander D, et al. Discrepancies between film and digital mammography interpretations. Medical Imaging 2002, Proceedings of SPIE (The International Society for Optical Engineering), February 2002.

Alexander D, Malhotra P, Kallergi M, et al. Digital vs. film mammography: calcification interpretation. American Association of Physicists in Medicine 2001, (July Supplement).

Presentations

Erdreich LS, Wagner M, Van Kerkhove M, Alexander DD. Stray voltage meta-analysis: needs, methods and challenges. 46th Annual Rural Energy Conference, La Crosse, WI, February 28, 2008.

Alexander DD. Epidemiologic evaluation of red meat and cancer. Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, Nutrition Roundtable, Reno, NV, February 7, 2008 (Invited speaker).

Alexander DD. Red meat scientific assessment. Industry Stakeholder Cancer Forum, Chicago, IL, October 11, 2007 (Invited speaker).

Alexander DD. Meta-analysis of occupational trichloroethylene exposure and lymphohematopoietic malignancies and liver cancer. Epidemiology Seminar Series, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, November 17, 2006 (Invited speaker).

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Mandel JH, Kelsh MA. A meta-analysis of occupational trichloroethylene exposure and multiple myeloma or leukemia. Proceedings, 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, June 2006, Seattle, WA (Poster Presentation, Presenter: DD Alexander).

Kelsh MA, Mandel JH, Mink PJ, Weingart M, Alexander DD, Goodman M. A meta-analysis of kidney cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and occupational trichloroethylene exposure. Proceedings, 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, June 2006 (Symposium, Speaker: MA Kelsh).

Mink PJ, Alexander DD, Barraj L, Kelsh MA, Tsuji J. Meta-analysis of low level arsenic exposure and bladder cancer. Proceedings, 2nd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, June 2006 (Poster Presentation, Presenter: PJ Mink).

Mink PJ, Alexander DD, Barraj L, Kelsh Ma, Tsuji J. A review and meta-analysis of low-level arsenic exposure in drinking water and bladder cancer. Presentation to the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Ottawa, Canada, June 2006 (Speaker: PJ Mink).

Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Butchko H. How “fast food” is used and interpreted in scientific research: methodological considerations. Experimental Biology 2006, San Francisco, CA, April 2006. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: DD. Alexander).

Kapica CM, Alexander DD, Mink PJ, Butchko H. The definition of fast food in published studies. Experimental Biology 2006, San Francisco, CA, April 2006. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: CM Kapica).

Mink PJ, Alexander DD, Barraj LM, Kelsh MA, Tsuji JS. Meta-analysis of low level arsenic exposure and bladder cancer: implications for risk assessment in the United States. 45th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, San Diego, CA, March, 2006. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: PJ Mink).

Mandel JH, Alexander DD, Kelsh MA. Occupational trichloroethylene exposure: recent insights from epidemiologic and toxicologic perspectives. State of the Art Conference of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Chicago, IL, October 2005. (Invited Speaker: JH Mandel).

Alexander D, Jhala N, Chatla C, Steinhauer J, Funkhouser E, Coffey C, Grizzle WE, Manne U. Racial differences in survival based on tumor differentiation and stage in patients who have undergone surgery for colon cancer. The 2004 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, June 2004. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: D. Alexander).

Chatla C, Alexander D, Manne U. Prognostic significance of Bcl-2 expression and p53 nuclear accumulation based on nodal status in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. The 95th Annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, Orlando, Florida, March 2004. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: C. Chatla).

Alexander D. Post-surgical disparity in survival between African-Americans and Caucasians with colonic adenocarcinomas. The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Annual Research Retreat, Birmingham, Alabama, October 2003. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: D. Alexander).

Malhotra P, Kallergi M, Alexander D, et al. Discrepancies between film and digital mammography interpretations. The annual meeting for Medical Imaging: Observer Performance Studies, San Diego, CA, February 26–28, 2002. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: P. Malhotra).

Alexander D, Malhotra P, Kallergi M, et al. Digital vs. film mammography. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, July 22–26, 2001. (Poster Presentation, Presenter: D. Alexander).

• International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, 2005–present (member)
• American Public Health Association, 2005–present (contributing member)
• Society for Epidemiologic Research, 2005–present
• American College of Epidemiology, 2003–present
• MENSA International High Intelligence Society, 2002–present
• Infectious Disease Association, 1999–2001