Dr Donald E. Gardner was born in 1931 in Council Bluffs, IA. On October 3, 2014, he died peacefully at home in Savannah, GA, after a major illness. Those who knew him best describe his cheerful demeanor, love of life, and commitment to making the world a healthier and happier place as key aspects of the life of a friend, collaborator, mentor, and leader. Don’s leadership and advice helped so many become greater contributors to the public good. His friendship and mentorship changed the lives of those around him in visible and invisible ways.
Don received degrees from Creighton University in Nebraska, with a BS in both biology and chemistry and an MS in medical microbiology. He earned his PhD in Environmental Health and Toxicology at the University of Cincinnati. His military career as a scientist included positions at Fort Detrick, MD and Dugway, UT. He joined the US Public Health Service (PHS) in 1962. He held increasingly responsible positions at EPA, culminating in Director of the Inhalation Toxicology Division that was responsible for studies in both animals and humans. Following retirement from the US PHS in 1982, he joined Northrup/Man-Tech International Corp. as Vice-President and Chief Scientist. He left in 1994 to form a consulting practice, Inhalation Toxicology Associates, where he remained until his retirement.
During his career, Don also held academic appointments at Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Massachusetts. He was active with the National Academy of Science, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Toxicology, and chaired numerous Sub-committees. He served on the Editorial Boards of several journals, including Toxic Substances, Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, Journal of Immunotoxicology, and Nutritional Interactions. He was Co-Editor of the Target Organ Toxicology Series, New Perspectives: Toxicology and the Environment, and editor of Toxicology of the Lung.
Don was the founding - and only - Editor-in-Chief of Inhalation Toxicology for 25 years until his retirement from the post in September 2014. He was a strong advocate who championed sound inhalation toxicology and dosimetry research. His stature and leadership in the field provided a focal point for inhalation toxicology and fostered moving the whole of the science forward, with exponential impacts on improving health.
Don may be known best by his colleagues in toxicology as one of the pioneers of inhalation toxicology, but he is also known and loved by many as a pioneer in immunotoxicology as well. In 1967, Don was a co-author of a seminal paper involving the Streptococcus zooepidemicus infectivity model for evaluating the effects of air pollutants on host resistance to respiratory infection. The model, which he helped to develop and used extensively, was notable for two reasons: (1) it used inhalation as the route of infection and chemical exposure (highly relevant to human infection and exposure); and (2) it measured effects on resistance to the bacteria that were seen at very low levels of chemical exposure. The development and utility of this model enabled EPA to protect the health of millions. In 1971, EPA issued the first National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Photochemical Oxidants, which were just being recognized as a real danger to public health, especially for vulnerable populations with pre-existing lung disease. Don’s paper formed one of the major scientific foundations for this standard. Over the next 40 years, two generations of investigators applied the model to a number of chemical exposures, resulting in more than 30 peer-reviewed publications. These papers helped researchers to understand the potential human health risk of many chemicals including numerous solvents, metals, and air pollutants, to name a few. Today, after much more extensive research, we know far more about the severe health hazard of ozone. Along the way, immunotoxicologists learned that the model developed by Don and his team reflected deficits in alveolar macrophage phagocytic functions, and also found that the model could be applied in rats where the readout is based on delayed bacterial clearance from the lung rather than mortality. Don was an advocate for the use of host resistance models, and there is no doubt that this one was his favorite.
During his time at EPA, Don’s scientific leadership built an internationally unique, multi-disciplinary research group to solve scientific problems in air pollution, with a major emphasis on NAAQS pollutants, such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. This group integrated human clinical and animal toxicology research on air pollutants. Never before had such an outstanding scientific team gained knowledge of the integrated impact of air pollutants on lung pathology, pulmonary function, host defenses, lung biochemistry, and immune system functioning, with an understanding of inter-species dosimetric relationships needed to extrapolate effects in animals to humans. Toxicology studies became far more interpretable in risk assessment by understanding the relationship of patterns of exposure in the laboratory to the real world. The unique research he led moved risk assessment, and ultimately risk management of inhaled chemicals, forward beyond an academic exercise so it could be used to protect public health. Don’s research generated over 250 scientific publications that greatly expanded the understanding of the health risks of air pollutants.
Don enjoyed his career of over 50 years in the field of toxicology and later reflected it was never work. He joined the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in 1978, where he continued to demonstrate his commitment to dissemination of high quality science and development of new scientists. He served terms on both the SOT Scientific Program and Nominating Committees. He was also President of the North Carolina Chapter of SOT, Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section, Metal Specialty Section, and was the third President of the Immunotoxicology Specialty Section—that has grown to be one of the largest Specialty Sections of SOT. Don was also a President of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.
Don’s achievements have been recognized by numerous scientific organizations. In addition to receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Inhalation and Immunotoxicology Specialty Sections of the SOT, he also received several US EPA scientific and technological achievement awards and the Meritorious Service Award from the US PHS. Don was a Designated Lifetime National Associate Member of the National Academy of Sciences in ‘recognition as advisor to the Nation in matters of science, engineering, and health’ and received NASA’s Outstanding Public Service Award ‘in recognition for guiding NASA toward a safer environment to enhance future exploration of space’. In recognition of his many years of service to Rotary International, Don was named a Paul Harris Fellow.
Memorial contributions can be made to the one of the Endowment Funds managed by the Society of Toxicology (Health and Environmental Science Institute Immunotoxicology Young Investigator Student Award Fund or the Donald E. Gardner Inhalation Toxicology Education Award Fund). To donate, please go to http://www.toxicology.org/ai/csot/specific_funds.asp and select from the named funds listed. This will take you down the page to a fuller explanation of the SOT endowment funds and explains that gifts are tax deductible. Click on the link to the ‘Endowment Donor Form’ and then complete the form. To ensure the funds go as intended, under ‘Named Funds’ click in the text box and select the drop-down arrow that pulls up a menu and select ‘Health and Environmental Science Institute Immunotoxicology Young Investigator Student Award Fund’ or ‘Donald E. Gardner Inhalation Toxicology Education Award’ from the list.