Irina Dardynskaia, MD, PhD

Irina Dardynskaia, MD, PhD

INMED Associate Professor

Dr. Irina Dardynskaia is a research associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences. She is leading a National Institutes of Health-funded study of HIV risk and protection among labor migrants to Russia, and a second study on risk reduction strategies for populations of the US and Russian Arctic exposed to persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals due to changing climates. Her research interests include health effects of climate change on indigenous communities; health effects of radiation and chemical exposures on populations of low and middle income countries; environmental global health risks and risks reduction strategies, and global HIV/AIDS health care policy.

Dr. Irina Dardynskaia is working with the Arctic Council on biosecurity issues to support public health systems and public services in implementing a quick response to current and future biological threats related to the uncontrolled spread of highly virulent pathogens, parasites, biotoxins and other biohazards across the Arctic. Dr. Dardynskaia is also the principal investigator of a project on “Collaborative initiative on addressing emerging infectious disease threats in the Republic of Uzbekistan.” The goal is to improve the surveillance strategy and response capacity of the public health workforce in Uzbekistan and empower the workforce responsible for preventing and controlling emerging diseases and to foster education and research exchange between two countries in the area of the emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

Dr. Dardynskaia has also worked with Chernobyl victims and exposed populations for more than 30 years, and earned awards for participation in eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Within University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health she taught Advanced courses on Radiation Protection for graduate students, a Course on Passive to Active Radon Mitigation Systems,  An advanced special topics Course on Emerging Technologies. and within the International Atomic Agency: training course on Radiation Protection and Safe Use of Radiation.