Inkyu Han

Associate Professor
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Office
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Biography

Dr. Inkyu Han is a multidisciplinary environmental health scientist in exposure assessment and environmental epidemiology. He has more than 15 years of experience in personal and environmental exposure measurement and assessment in environmental and occupational epidemiologic studies.

Currently, Dr. Han’s research interests focus on how complex environmental exposures from a variety of sources can affect human health and on developing culturally appropriate and effective interventions to prevent or mitigate these exposures. First, Dr. Han and his collaborators investigate the effect of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on immunologic response among vulnerable Hispanic women working as domestic cleaners in San Antonio, Texas. This study aims to use a community-engaged approach to characterize individual, occupational and neighborhood-level factors that influence personal air VOC exposure among this overburdened group of Hispanic women and to explore associations between these exposures with biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Second, Dr. Han’s lab examines exposure to ambient air microplastics and nanoplastics in Philadelphia to identify environmental correlates of higher levels of microplastics and nanoplastsics. Third, partnering with local community groups, Dr. Han’s team examines the role of individual behaviors and the built environment on heat adaptation behavior in North Philadelphia. His team uses low-cost sensors to assess environmental exposures and climate change impact. Fourth, using a community-engaged approach, his collaborators and Dr. Han assess work-related, environmental, and individual determinants of total personal exposure to a mixture of chemicals among Asian immigrants in New York City and New Jersey.

Education

  • PhD, Environmental and Occupational Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • MPH, Environmental Health, Seoul National University School of Public Health
  • BS, Environmental Sciences, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

Curriculum Vitae 

Labs: Human Exposure Assessment Lab (HEAL)

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

ENVH 5004

Environmental Health

Graduate

Selected Publications

  • Han, I., Seo, J.Y., Barr, D.B., Panuwet, P., Yakimavets, V., D'Souza, P.E., An-Han, H., Afshar, M., & Chao, Y. (2022). Evaluating Indoor Air Phthalates and Volatile Organic Compounds in Nail Salons in the Greater New York City Area: A Pilot Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(19). Switzerland. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912411

  • Symanski, E., Han, H.A.n., Han, I., McDaniel, M., Whitworth, K.W., McCurdy, S., Perkison, W.B., Rammah, A., Lewis, P.G.T., Delclos, G.L., Craft, E., Bondy, M., Walker, C.L., Hopkins, L., Laurent, J.G.C., & James, D. (2022). Responding to Natural and Industrial Disasters: Partnerships and Lessons Learned. Disaster Med Public Health Prep, 16(3), pp. 885-888. United States. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2020.467

  • Han, I., Whitworth, K.W., Christensen, B., Afshar, M., Han, H.A.n., Rammah, A., Oluwadairo, T., & Symanski, E. (2022). Heavy metal pollution of soils and risk assessment in Houston, Texas following Hurricane Harvey. Environ Pollut, 296, p. 118717. England. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118717

  • Oluwadairo, T., Whitehead, L., Symanski, E., Bauer, C., Carson, A., & Han, I. (2022). Effects of Road Traffic on the Accuracy and Bias of Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensor Measurements in Houston, Texas. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(3). Switzerland. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031086

  • Oluwadairo, T., Whitehead, L., Symanski, E., Bauer, C., Carson, A., & Han, I. (2022). Effects of aerosol particle size on the measurement of airborne PM2.5 with a low-cost particulate matter sensor (LCPMS) in a laboratory chamber. Environ Monit Assess, 194(2), p. 56. Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/s10661-021-09715-6

  • Oyer-Peterson, K., Porras, D.G.R.d.e., Han, I., Delclos, G.L., Brooks, E.G., Afshar, M., & Whitworth, K.W. (2022). A pilot study of total personal exposure to volatile organic compounds among Hispanic female domestic cleaners. J Occup Environ Hyg, 19(1), pp. 1-11. England. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2021.2000615

  • Han, I., Richner, D., Han, H.A.n., Hopkins, L., James, D., & Symanski, E. (2020). Evaluation of metal aerosols in four communities adjacent to metal recyclers in Houston, Texas, USA. J Air Waste Manag Assoc, 70(5), pp. 568-579. United States. doi: 10.1080/10962247.2020.1755385

  • Symanski, E., Han, H.A.n., Hopkins, L., Smith, M.A., McCurdy, S., Han, I., Jimenez, M., Markham, C., Richner, D., James, D., & Flores, J. (2020). Metal air pollution partnership solutions: building an academic-government-community-industry collaboration to improve air quality and health in environmental justice communities in Houston. Environ Health, 19(1), p. 39. England. doi: 10.1186/s12940-020-00590-1

  • Han, I., Whitworth, K.W., Zhang, X., Afshar, M., Berens, P.D., & Symanski, E. (2020). Characterization of urinary concentrations of heavy metals among socioeconomically disadvantaged black pregnant women. Environ Monit Assess, 192(3), p. 200. Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/s10661-020-8163-z

  • Han, H.A.n., Han, I., McCurdy, S., Whitworth, K., Delclos, G., Rammah, A., & Symanski, E. (2020). The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(3). Switzerland. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030986

  • Rammah, A., Whitworth, K.W., Han, I., Chan, W., Hess, J.W., & Symanski, E. (2019). Temperature, placental abruption and stillbirth. Environ Int, 131, p. 105067. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105067

  • Rammah, A., Whitworth, K.W., Han, I., Chan, W., & Symanski, E. (2019). PM2.5 metal constituent exposure and stillbirth risk in Harris County, Texas. Environ Res, 176, p. 108516. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.05.047

  • Rammah, A., Whitworth, K.W., Han, I., Chan, W., & Symanski, E. (2019). Time-Varying Exposure to Ozone and Risk of Stillbirth in a Nonattainment Urban Region. Am J Epidemiol, 188(7), pp. 1288-1295. United States. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwz095

  • Rammah, A., Whitworth, K.W., Han, I., Chan, W., Jimenez, M.D., Strom, S.S., Bondy, M.L., & Symanski, E. (2019). A Mixed-Methods Study to Examine the Role of Psychosocial Stress and Air Pollution on Hypertension in Mexican-Origin Hispanics. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities, 6(1), pp. 12-21. Switzerland. doi: 10.1007/s40615-018-0490-1

  • Han, I., Samarneh, L., Stock, T.H., & Symanski, E. (2018). Impact of transient truck and train traffic on ambient air and noise levels in underserved communities. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT and ENVIRONMENT, 63, pp. 706-717. doi: 10.1016/j.trd.2018.07.010

  • Whitworth, K.W., Han, I., Afshar, M., Mei, Y., Berens, P.D., Sharma, S.V., & Symanski, E. (2017). Accessing Disadvantaged Pregnant Women in Houston, Texas, and Characterizing Biomarkers of Metal Exposure: A Feasibility Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 14(5). Switzerland. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14050474

  • Han, I., Guo, Y., Afshar, M., Stock, T.H., & Symanski, E. (2017). Comparison of trace elements in size-fractionated particles in two communities with contrasting socioeconomic status in Houston, TX. Environ Monit Assess, 189(2), p. 67. Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/s10661-017-5780-2

  • Hardos, J.E., Whitehead, L.W., Han, I., Ott, D.K., & Waller, D.K. (2016). Depression Prevalence and Exposure to Organophosphate Esters in Aircraft Maintenance Workers. Aerosp Med Hum Perform, 87(8), pp. 712-717. United States. doi: 10.3357/AMHP.4561.2016

  • Dickerson, A.S., Rahbar, M.H., Bakian, A.V., Bilder, D.A., Harrington, R.A., Pettygrove, S., Kirby, R.S., Durkin, M.S., Han, I., Moyé, L.A., Pearson, D.A., Wingate, M.S., & Zahorodny, W.M. (2016). Autism spectrum disorder prevalence and associations with air concentrations of lead, mercury, and arsenic. Environ Monit Assess, 188(7), p. 407. Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/s10661-016-5405-1

  • Dickerson, A.S., Rahbar, M.H., Han, I., Bakian, A.V., Bilder, D.A., Harrington, R.A., Pettygrove, S., Durkin, M., Kirby, R.S., Wingate, M.S., Tian, L.H., Zahorodny, W.M., Pearson, D.A., Moyé, L.A., & Baio, J. (2015). Autism spectrum disorder prevalence and proximity to industrial facilities releasing arsenic, lead or mercury. Sci Total Environ, 536, pp. 245-251. Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.024

  • Han, I., Guo, Y., & Afshar, M. (2015). Particle size distributions of trace elements in a community near industrial and traffic sources. ABSTRACTS of PAPERS of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 250. Retrieved from http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/

  • Han, I. (2014). Measurement of monocyclic aromatic amines in an urban air. ABSTRACTS of PAPERS of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 247. Retrieved from http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/

  • Shim, J.S., Rao, R., Beebe, K., Neckers, L., Han, I., Nahta, R., & Liu, J.O. (2012). Selective inhibition of HER2-positive breast cancer cells by the HIV protease inhibitor nelfinavir. J Natl Cancer Inst, 104(20), pp. 1576-1590. United States. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djs396

  • Han, I., Mihalic, J.N., Ramos-Bonilla, J.P., Rule, A.M., Polyak, L.M., Peng, R.D., Geyh, A.S., & Breysse, P.N. (2012). Assessment of heterogeneity of metal composition of fine particulate matter collected from eight U.S. counties using principal component analysis. J Air Waste Manag Assoc, 62(7), pp. 773-782. United States. doi: 10.1080/10962247.2012.676593

  • Datta, S., Rule, A.M., Mihalic, J.N., Chillrud, S.N., Bostick, B.C., Ramos-Bonilla, J.P., Han, I., Polyak, L.M., Geyh, A.S., & Breysse, P.N. (2012). Use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy to speciate manganese in airborne particulate matter from five counties across the United States. Environ Sci Technol, 46(6), pp. 3101-3109. United States. doi: 10.1021/es203435n

  • Han, I., Ramos-Bonilla, J.P., Rule, A.M., Mihalic, J.N., Polyak, L.M., Breysse, P.N., & Geyh, A.S. (2011). Comparison of spatial and temporal variations in p-PAH, BC, and p-PAH/BC ratio in six US counties. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT, 45(40), pp. 7644-7652. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.10.042

  • Kim, H., Han, I., You, B., & Park, J. (2011). Towards cognitive grasping: modeling of unknown objects and its corresponding grasp types. INTELLIGENT SERVICE ROBOTICS, 4(3), pp. 159-166. doi: 10.1007/s11370-011-0088-5

  • Han, I., Kim, H., Park, J., & IEEE (2011). Graph-cut-based 3D Model Segmentation for Articulated Object Reconstruction. 2011 10TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM on MIXED and AUGMENTED REALITY (ISMAR). Retrieved from http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/

  • Lee, G., Han, I., & Kim, Y. (2006). A design of network traffic analysis and monitoring system for early warning system. FRONTIERS of HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING and NETWORKING - ISPA 2006 WORKSHOPS, PROCEEDINGS, 4331, pp. 1000-+. Retrieved from http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/