Cheryl Bast, Ph.D., a board-certified toxicologist (D.A.B.T.) specializing in toxicology, health effects evaluations, and hazard evaluation and risk assessments, provides technical assistance to our attorneys in determining the compliance status and safety of food additives and food contact materials. She has extensive experience in conducting toxicological analyses in support of chemical hazard and health effects documents, and in preparing accompanying safety evaluations.

Cheryl supports regulatory evaluations of food contact materials and food ingredients marketed worldwide. She evaluates toxicity and chemical safety data, performs structure-activity analyses, conducts human health risk assessments, and advises on appropriate toxicity testing to ensure the safety of direct and indirect food additives. She has supported several partners in evaluating a wide array of perfluoroalkyl products and effectively communicating the complicated toxicological issues related to these compounds.

Over the course of Cheryl's career, she has authored and co-authored many research publications in leading scientific journals, including Handbook of the Toxicology of Chemical Warfare Agents, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, and Inhalation Toxicology.

Prior to joining Keller and Heckman, Cheryl was a Distinguished Research Staff member and a Team Leader of the Toxicology and Hazard Assessment team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she performed critical analyses and integration of toxicological data to support hazard evaluations and risk assessments. She often uses the experience and knowledge she gained there to assist our attorneys and their clients.

Memberships

• Society of Toxicology

Awards

• Appreciation Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Outstanding Contributions to the Acute Exposure Guideline Levels Program 
• UT-Battelle Significant Event Award for contributions to the successful National Academy Press publication, “Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals”