Mattias Öberg

About me

Health risk assessment of chemicals is my main area of research. It is a multidisciplinary field and I work in close collaboration with a large network of swedish and international researchers, authorities and organisations. I am also a member of the Nordic Expert Group for chemical risk assessment in occupational settings, chair of the national committee for the European Registered Toxicologists and member of the Eurotox Excecutive Committee. I also have an assignment as expert coordinator at the Centre for Health Crises at KI, in the field of chemical events and disaster toxicology.

Disaster toxicology and the war in Ukraine

In relation to the war in Ukraine there is a risk of release of chemicals from damaged chemical industry and transportation of dangerous goods. But exposure can also be related to chemical warfare agents and poisons that in recent years have been used to eliminate individual persons in several countries. As part of my research, I have studied the health risks related to airbourne chemicals, the effects of susceptible groups like asthmatics, and how the dose-response relationships can be calculated. I have also participated in the desition support system used by MSB (the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) and are regularly giving lectures in emergency toxicology, preparedness and response.

Research description

Current research projects as main project leader:

• Experimental design aligned with dose-response modelling as a means for 3R in toxicity testing (Financial support: Vetenskapsrådet)
• Bayesian dose-response modelling aligned with experimental design as means to improve chemical risk assessment (Financial support: Formas)
• Risk, Fara, Oro, Skada - ett kommunikationsprojekt (Finansiering: Formas)
• Kemiska olyckor i arbetslivet – systematisk analys av giftinformationscentralens arbetsmiljörelaterade data (Financial support: AFA Försäkring)

Other reasech projects:

• PERFORCE3, a Innovative Training Network about perfluorinated chemicals. (PI: Ian Cousins; Financial support: European Union’s Horizon 2020). 
• Phthalates in female reproduction –impact of mixture composition on hazard characterization (PI: Pauliina Damdimopoulou, Karolinska Institutet, Financial support: Formas).
• New animal-free methods to meet the need for safe chemicals (PI: Elin Törnqvist, Karolinska Institutet, Financial support: Formas).

Teaching portfolio

My teaching activities include lectures, cource leadership, supervising master and PhD student.

I have been the main supervisor for three PhD students:

• Mia Johansson (2016) - Asthmatics as a susceptible population in health risk assessment of airbourne chemicals
• Joakim Ringblom (2016) - Worth weighting for - Studies on benchmark dose analysis in relation to animal ethics in toxicity testing
• Antero Silva (planned dissertation in 2022) - Benchmark dose modelling for hazard and risk characterization of chemicals
• Lars Brunken (planed dissertation 2024) - Dose-response assessment of PFAS mixtures in relation to biomarkers of effects relevant for cardiovascular disease in humans.