Catherine Karr, PhD, MD, MS
About
Dr. Catherine Karr is an environmental epidemiologist and pediatric environmental medicine specialist. She has a primary appointment in the UW Department of Pediatrics, a joint appointment in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and an adjunct appointment in the Department of Epidemiology. Her research areas include environmental contaminants and pediatric respiratory health including asthma, health of farmworker children and global children's environmental health. Much of her research utilizes community-engaged research approaches. She shares leadership of a large pregnancy cohort as part of the NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program. She is affiliated with the Pacific Northwest Center for Agricultural Safety and Health and the Interdisciplinary Center for Exposures, Disease, Genetics and the Environment. Dr. Karr has a general pediatric practice at the UW Pediatric Clinic at Roosevelt and also provides specialty pediatric environmental medicine consultation at this site and at Harborview Medical Center. As Director of the NW Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), she sets the direction for outreach and education as well as responding to queries from health care providers, government officials and families regarding health risks associated with environmental exposures.
Education
- PhD, University of Washington
- MD, University of Washington
- MS, University of Washington
- BS, University of Michigan
Affiliations
Mentorship
Available to mentor new Master's students in autumn 2026. Please follow the instructions on the How To Apply page.
DEOHS Students Mentored
Association Between Maternal Occupational Exposure to Cleaning Chemicals During Pregnancy and Childhood Wheeze and Asthma
Melissa Anne Herrin | MPH | 2023 | View
Wintertime and Wildfire Smoke pm2.5: Community-Engaged Research and Use of Low-Cost Sensors to Characterize PM2.5 and Mitigate Exposures
Orly Stampfer | PhD | 2023 | View
Phthalate exposure, respiratory outcomes and biomarkers of oxidative stress in children with asthma
Ryan Babadi | PhD | 2020 | View
"We are all here to learn": A qualitative study on perceptions of private well water testing within a rural Latinx community
Kori VanDerGeest | MPH | 2019 | View
Barriers to lead screening among pediatric providers in King County, WA
Alexandra Perkins | MPH | 2019 | View
Engagement
Equity, diversity and inclusion
I am committed to fostering health equity and environmental justice in my research and service roles. Much of my research program employs community-engaged practice. My primary research partnerships are with organizations and institutions that serve communities with systemic social and economic inequities (Yakima Valley, Nairobi). I am continuing my personal journey to more effectively grow diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of my profession through trainings, ongoing conversations, self-study and reflection.
Community and research partnerships
The NW Pediatric Environmental Specialty Unit program that I direct continues to maintain and grow active, collaborative relationships to share expertise and perspectives on improving child environmental health with local and state public health departments and organizations in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Idaho.
I am a member of the National Environmental Influences on Child Health (ECHO) consortium, which uses a collaborative, team science approach in conducting studies that will have impact on major public health concerns of children in the United States.
Teaching practices
My teaching practice currently focuses on outreach and education activities as part of the NW Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. In this role, I seek to increase the capacity of clinicians to address and improve environmental health conditions in children and pregnant individuals.
Service
DEOHS: I serve on the DEOHS faculty review committee and continue to serve as liaison to the Yakima-based El Proyecto Bienestar – a community-engaged research partnership.
School of Public Health and UW: I respond to media inquiries in topics in my area of expertise.
Chair, DSMB for the landmark HAPIN Trial (Gates/NIH)
Member, NIH Review Panel - Health Promotion for Communities
Member, CASAC ozone panel