Bio
Ms. Annaleise Conway is an environmental scientist with professional experience in the nonprofit, academic, and private sectors. She has performed standard aquatic testing in an ecotoxicology laboratory under EPA and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and has utilized that knowledge to support assessments of potential environmental impacts of personal care product ingredients. Ms. Conway’s diverse work experiences have provided her with the skills to contribute to many types of projects. Ms. Conway was invited by the National Academy of Sciences to present her master’s degree thesis research on the toxicity of oxybenzone to a species of hard coral.
Relevant Experience
Toxicology
Human Health Risk Evaluation, Oklahoma — Conducted a scaled risk evaluation using site-specific data compiled from literature sources in conjunction with existing risk assessment results to determine potential risks for a dam operating downriver of a former mining area. Provided critiques and peer review of pivotal studies. Compared results of a recreational use survey to potential exposure pathways to ensure protectiveness of risk calculations. Specifically reviewed and considered tribal uses of the study area and tribal-specific exposure pathways.
Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for Tribal Territory, Minnesota — Conducted various tasks in support of an updated baseline risk assessment and risk assessment work plan, including development of human health and ecological conceptual site models, constituents of potential concern and potential ecological concern screenings, sample-by-sample human health risk assessment calculations, analyses of concentrations by depth, spatial exploration of data trends using QGIS, and preparation of Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund Part D (RAGS D) tables.
PFAS Surface Water and Groundwater Protection Threshold Derivation, Europe — Derived thresholds for a specific PFAS chemical protective of groundwater and surface water for direct exposure to humans, secondary poisoning through the consumption of fish to humans, and direct exposure to aquatic life using European and U.S.-based frameworks. Provided critiques on current thresholds presented by various regulatory bodies.
Environmental Sampling Program Support, Europe — Provided input on proposals to establish baseline conditions prior to remedial actions as well as ongoing support and troubleshooting for the resulting sampling program.
Study Quality Scoring, United States — Scored ecotoxicological, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and trophic magnification studies using the Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Ecotoxicity Data (CRED), Fremlin, and Klimisch scoring frameworks to determine study quality of literature used in a regulatory submission.
Determination of Health-Based Exposure Limits, Worldwide — Determined health-based exposure limits, including occupational exposure limits, permissible daily exposure limits, acceptable daily intake values, and occupational exposure bands for active pharmaceutical ingredients, inactive ingredients, and impurities in accordance with International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidance and industry best practices.
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Noncancer PCB Toxicology Support, United States — Provided insight pertaining to EPA’s Handbook for IRIS Assessments by summarizing key topics and identifying areas of insufficient guidance.
European Medicines Agency Pharmaceutical Support, Europe — Contracted and liaised with an ecotoxicological laboratory to conduct custom and standard biodegradation studies for a European Medicines Agency submission.
Environmental and Human Health Risk Assessments, Ohio — Screened chemicals and analyzed risk from soil for multiple ecological (benthic invertebrates, birds, and mammals) and human receptors pursuant to Ohio EPA guidance using the statistical program R.
Ecological Risk Evaluation, Lakeside Ranch, California — Identified potential receptors for localized exceedances of persistent chemicals. Compiled life history and conservation status information. Evaluated potential exposure pathways. Provided a summary of findings and suggestions to minimize potential risk.
Risk Evaluation, Louisiana — Compiled and cleaned analytical data. Screened soil and sediment analytical results using Louisiana-specific guidance for human health (e.g., RECAP, MO-1) and the environment. Used the statistical program R to calculate environmental risk to wildlife.
Safety Assessments for Personal Care Product Ingredients, United States — Collected and compiled data on toxicity of personal care product ingredients from publicly available data sources (e.g., European Chemicals Agency [ECHA], Personal Care Products Council, European Food Safety Authority). Utilized these data in conjunction with potential exposure calculations to create safety assessments for humans and dogs.
High Throughput Screening for Personal Care Product Ingredients, United States — Screened more than 100 ingredients for biodegradation and acute aquatic toxicity using a variety of publicly available data sources (e.g., ECHA, Computational Toxicology and Methods Development Lab, National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme). Advised working group on standard testing procedures to improve assessment quality.
High Throughput Screening for Chemical Ingredients, United States — Compiled ecotoxicological endpoints and mode of action thresholds, and utilized the EnviroTox database to calculate ecological thresholds of toxicological concern to combine with existing predicted no-effect concentrations for a high throughput assessment of more than 1,000 chemical ingredients.
Support for the Personal Care Products Council with FDA Sunscreen Data Submission, United States — Reviewed and compiled findings on human and nonhuman mammalian metabolites of sunscreen active ingredients. Communicated testing needs with subcontractors and solicited quotes for required work.
Human Health Risk Assessment Support, United States — Supported a number of human health risk assessments through calculation of exposure point concentrations using ProUCL, compilation of exposure factors, and calculation of cancer and noncancer risk for exposure to soil, sediment, groundwater, surface water, and fish ingestion. Led report and memorandum writing as well as data presentation tasks.
Toxicity Testing of Oxybenzone on a Hard Coral, Solomons, Maryland — Completed full project design, implementation, and analysis of multiple exposures of oxybenzone on the hard coral Galaxea fascicularis. Performed chemical analysis of exposure concentrations and a variety of biological endpoints (e.g., mortality, photosynthetic pigment content, buoyant weight) as well as statistical analyses and model fitting of dose-response curves.
Standard Aquatic Toxicity Testing, Wareham, Massachusetts — Conducted acute and chronic aquatic toxicity tests following EPA and OECD guidance under Good Laboratory Practice conditions. Led various supporting activities such as standard test species culturing (primarily Pimephales promelas), peer review, and data analysis.
Litigation Support
Natural Resource Damage Support, United States — Provided expert report support in a natural resource damages case, including a critical review considering the quality of ecotoxicological literature and its relevance to the case.
Desalination Plant Environmental Litigation Support, Corpus Christi, Texas — Collected data pertinent to desalination intake and effluent impacts in the Aransas Channel and La Quinta Bay including whole effluent toxicity test results, salinity tolerance, and information on existing reverse-osmosis desalination projects. Summarized information using graphics and tables to effectively communicate findings.
PCB Litigation Support, St. Regis, New York — Reviewed literature on human PCB exposure and determined common endpoints and results to support ongoing litigation.
Exposure Assessment Regarding PCBs, United States — Assisted with analysis and visualization regarding potential exposure to PCBs via inhalation of indoor air. Supported preparation of expert reports.
Biomonitoring
Berry’s Creek Superfund Site, Meadowlands, New Jersey — Completed fish sampling in Berry’s Creek and surrounding tributaries of the Hackensack River in support of residue biomonitoring collection.
Education & Credentials
M.S., Marine-Estuarine Environmental Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, Maryland, 2021
B.S., Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, 2015
Certified Ecologist, Ecological Society of America, 2024
Professional Affiliations
Member of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Member of Product Stewardship Society
Insights & News
Market Update
Analysis and Assessment: Integral Presents at SETAC Virtual Meeting
Market Update
Product Safety: Annaleise Conway Presents on Sunscreen Testing at PCPC Symposium