John M. Desesso PhD, AB

Dr. John M. DeSesso has over 45 years of post-doctoral experience specializing in the areas of developmental and reproductive toxicology, general toxicology, risk assessment, and human health effects of environmental agents and pharmaceuticals. Dr. DeSesso's research has included normal and abnormal development, with emphasis on the mechanisms by which chemical and physical agents influence developing organisms. He has an ongoing interest in determining the mechanism, location, and timing of the transplacental transfer of various substances (including small molecules and biologics) in various species. He has worked on projects including the assessment for potential gestational exposures to various substances to cause developmental or neurobehavioral effects, determination of the possible teratogenicity of atrazine and glyphosate, and demonstration of the mode of teratogenic action for an artificial blood substitute that is absent in humans.

He is an adjunct professor of Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology at Georgetown University School of Medicine where he has taught embryology and anatomy for over 30 years. He has received 6 Teacher of the Year Awards (1 from the Medical College of Virginia School of Pharmacy; 5 from Georgetown University School of Medicine) and is the 2014 recipient of the Narsingh Agnish Fellowship from the Teratology Society, which recognizes contributions to education. He 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 100 papers and chapters and has presented at over 200 conferences and symposia. Two of his papers (in 2000 and 2009) have been recognized by the Risk Assessment Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology as Outstanding Published Papers Demonstrating an Application of Risk Assessment.