Dr. Changjie Cai Receives Best Paper Award from Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society

Dr. Changjie Cai, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, has been honored with the 2024 Best Paper Award from the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society (MIHS) for his co-authored research on reducing aerosol exposure in hospital restrooms.

The award-winning study, titled “Reducing the particles generated by flushing institutional toilets. Part II: Assessing a portable and reusable toilet cover in U.S. hospitals,” examined the effectiveness of the Splashblocker device in mitigating toilet plume aerosols—tiny particles that can become airborne during flushing and pose a risk for disease transmission, particularly in healthcare settings.

The research was led by Seth Eisenberg, an oncology nurse researcher and consultant, in collaboration with Dr. Cai. Together, they explored the practical application of a reusable toilet cover as a simple, cost-effective intervention to protect patients and healthcare workers from potentially hazardous bioaerosols.

In addition to the MIHS Best Paper Award, the study also received the prestigious James D'Arcy JOEH Research Article Award from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH), recognizing it as one of the journal’s top contributions of the year.

Dr. Cai’s recognition reflects the Hudson College of Public Health’s commitment to advancing occupational and environmental health research that has real-world impact. His work exemplifies the college’s mission to protect and improve public health through innovative, evidence-based solutions that support safety in healthcare environments.