David Tollerud, MD, MPH, Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, was invited to be a panel member to comment on the NIH proposed protocol to study the health effects of the Deepwater Horizon gulf oil spill on cleanup workers at a meeting hosted by Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director and Dr. Harvey Fineberg, President of the Institute of Medicine. The meeting was held in Tampa on Sept. 22 and 23. Other agencies supporting this project included the NIEHS (lead institute), CDC, NIOSH, EPA, Coast Guard, NOAA, HRSA, National Incident Command and several academic institutions.