Expert Panel member Debra Laskin named to Forbes 2026 50 Over 50: Innovation list

Recognition honors more than four decades of scientific achievement in pharmacology and toxicology

NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety congratulates member Debra L. Laskin, PhD, on being named to the Forbes 2026 50 Over 50: Innovation list.

The annual list recognizes women whose experience, leadership, and accomplishments continue to advance their fields. Dr. Laskin was honored for her groundbreaking research into how the immune system responds to toxic chemicals and the inflammatory mechanisms underlying lung and liver injury. Her work has contributed to the development of medical countermeasures for chemical threats, including mustard agents.

"Debra brings the same rigor, independence, and intellectual curiosity to the Expert Panel that have defined her extraordinary career," said Donald V. Belsito, MD, Chair of the Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety, Leonard C. Harber Professor Emeritus in the Department of Dermatology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Clinical Professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at New York University Grossman School of Medicine. "Her research has deepened our understanding of how toxicants affect human health, while her dedication to mentoring has strengthened the field for generations. This recognition could not be more deserved."

Dr. Laskin is Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and holds the Roy A. Bowers Endowed Chair of Pharmacy. During her career spanning more than 40 years, she has published more than 350 journal articles, reviews, book chapters, and reports. She has also trained and mentored scores of emerging scientists.

As an Expert Panel member, Dr. Laskin contributes her extensive expertise in inflammatory mechanisms, pulmonary and hepatic toxicology, immunotoxicology, and disease pathogenesis to the independent evaluation of fragrance safety science.

Media Contact
Don Belsito, MD, Chair
Leonard C. Harber Professor Emeritus
Department of Dermatology
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
[email protected]

About the Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety

The Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety is an independent body of internationally recognized academic scientists. The Panel reviews the scientific activities of the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), provides strategic guidance, determines scientific study design, and interprets findings for their relevance to human health and environmental protection. The Panel selects its own members, who serve on a rotating basis. Read more at FragranceSafetyPanel.org.

SOURCE The Expert Panel for Fragrance Safety; Research Institute for Fragrance Materials