Disaster Science Responder Research Program

What to know

This page describes the Disaster Science Responder Research (DSRR) Program. The program develops and implements tools, partnerships, and procedures to allow for real-time research during public health threats (PHTs). The program also identifies and conducts research to perform outside the scope of an emergency to protect workers in the future.

person wearing protective glasses and clothing looking into a microscope

Overview

The DSRR Program considers all workers who may be impacted by a PHT. This includes workers beyond traditional response and recovery workers.

Research conducted when a PHT occurs can include:

  • Impact of a new exposure
  • Unexpected or severe health effects
  • Effectiveness of a proposed intervention
  • Mental health and resilience issues
  • Chronic disease outcomes

Research priorities

Strategic Goals

  1. Identify critical topic areas to enhance safety and health among workers impacted by PHTs
  2. Address major logistical, technical, and administrative challenges associated with conducting research during a PHT
  3. Identify existing data collection capabilities and information resources to use or modify for occupational research
  4. Ensure study findings are rapidly shared to inform ongoing response and recovery efforts

Resources

NIOSH DSRR Program COVID-19 Research Agenda

A Decision Process for Determining Whether to Conduct Responder Health Research Following Large Disasters

Recommendations for Biomonitoring of Emergency Responders

Research as a Part of Public Health Emergency Response

Content Source
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
About This Page
Published: May 15, 2024
Updated: October 28, 2026

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: November 26, 2024

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.