Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown College, 1976
  • B.S., Biology, Villanova University, 1971
Licenses & Certifications
  • Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT)
Professional Honors
  • Outstanding Risk Practitioner of the Year Award, Society of Risk Analysis, December 2010
  • Commissioner’s Special Citatiom, “For significant achievement in protecting public health through the method development and sample analysis of pear juice products for toxic inorganic arsenic species,” June 2009
  • Arnold J. Lehman Award, Society of Toxicology “In recognition of his major contributions to risk assessment and the regulation of chemical agents,” March 2009
  • Appointed as member to the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group of the World Health Organization, October 2009
  • Appointed to the organizing committee for the workshop on establishing methodologies for assessing cancer risk from intermittent or short-term exposure to carcinogens of the International Life Sciences Institute, March 2009
  • Appointed to the steering committee for the workshop on evaluating epigenetic changes of the International Life Sciences Institute, June 2008
  • FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation Award for exemplary performance to protect the public health from adulterated protein – 2008
  • FDA Leveraging/Collaboration Award for interagency cooperation in response to polonium in well water – 2008
  • Member of the organizing committee of the ILSI workshop on the Application of the Margin of Exposure Approach to Genotoxic Carcinogens in Food–2007
  • Member to the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group of the World Health Organization–2008
  • Advisor to the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group of the World Health Organization–2007
  • FDA Outstanding Service Award, Lead in Candy Guide Group award–2006
  • FDA/CFSAN Exceptional Achievement Award, Allergen Threshold Workgroup–2006
  • FDA/CFSAN’s Furan Development Team Award–2005
  • Reappointed as Food Safety Expert of the World Health Organization – 2000.
  • Charles C. Shephard Science Award, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry–2004
  • FDA Leadership Award for exceptional contributions in providing leadership in JECFA assessments on cadmium and methylmercury, 2003.
  • FDA Group Recognition Award, Mycotoxin Work, Group, 2002
  • FDA Leadership Award for rapidly and effectively prioritizing potential chemical threat agents for foods, 2002
  • Appointed to the Steering Group of the Project to Update Principles and Methods for the Risk Assessment of Chemicals in Food of the World Health Organization 200
  • Member of the Expert Advisory Panel on Food Safety of the World Health Organization, appointed in 2000
  • Appointed as Food Safety Expert of the World Health Organization – 2000.
  • CFSAN’s Leadership Award – For exceptional leadership in directing CFSAN chemical health hazard and risk assessments – 1999
  • FDA Group Recognition Award – 1998 (For meritorious service in the completion of a multi-agency dioxin investigation contribution to significant consumer protection while also minimizing economic impact on industry)
  • Society of Toxicology Media contact specialist – appointed in 1997 and serving to the present time
  • Councilor, Risk Assessment Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology, 1997–1999
  • Candidate for Councilor, Risk Assessment Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology–1997
  • Member, Selection Committee for the Risk Assessment Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology–1996
  • FDA Group Recognition Award, Wheat Contamination Response Group, 1996
  • Candidate for Councilor, Risk Assessment Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology–1995
  • FDA Group Recognition Award–1996 (For dedication and effective use of resources in responding to the severe contamination of the 1993 wheat and barley crops with the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol)
  • Public Health Service Special Recognition Award, Department of Health and Human Services–1993 (For leadership in dealing with the hazard and risk assessment of contaminants in seafood and other food)
  • Appointed to Center for Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA’s Human Health Haz
Professional Affiliations
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • American Chemical Society (Division of Environmental Chemistry)
  • American College of Toxicology
  • American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
  • American Heart Association, Nation's Capital Affiliate
  • American Physiological Society
  • American Society of Nephrology
  • International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics
  • National Capitol Area Chapter of the Society of Toxicology
  • New York Academy of Sciences
  • Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (District of Columbia Chapter)
  • Society for Occupational and Environmental Health
  • Society of Environmental Geochemistry and Health
  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
  • Society of Risk Analysis
  • Society of Toxicology

Dr. Bolger is a board-certified toxicologist by the American Board of Toxicology. Since 1980, he has been involved in the hazard, safety, and risk assessment of anthropogenic and naturally derived contaminants in food. Dr. Bolger received his Bachelor's Degree in biology from Villanova University and his Doctoral Degree in physiology and biophysics from Georgetown University. 

After a three year postdoctoral position at the Georgetown University Medical Center, he became a staff fellow in toxicology with the Bureau of Foods in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Upon completion of his staff fellowship, he accepted a position as a toxicologist with the Contaminants Branch at the FDA.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Bolger was the Director of the Chemical Hazards Assessment staff in the Office of Food Safety, which is responsible for the hazard, safety, and risk assessment of food borne contaminants, and for reporting FDA monitoring efforts on food-borne environmental contaminants and the conduct of exposure assessments. Dr. Bolger is currently serving as a food safety expert of the World Health Organization and as a member of the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives and the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group of the World Health Organization.

Dr. Bolger is the recipient of the 2009 Arnold J. Lehman Award conferred by the Society of Toxicology and the 2010 Outstanding Risk Practitioner Award conferred by the Society of Risk Analysis.