Dr. Donald Mattison (1944-2026)
MD, MSc, BA
Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice-President
Joined RSI in 2012
- MD certified in six states
- Dean, Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh
- Medical Director of the March of Dimes
- Chief, Section on Reproductive Toxicology at the Eunice Shriver NIH
- Director and Chair of the Education Committee, Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences NIH
- Associate Medical Director for the Mercy Health Clinic
- Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology in the Arnold School of Public Health
In Memoriam: Dr. Donald Mattison (1944-2026)
Dr. Donald Mattison passed away at his home in Columbia, South Carolina on Sunday, March 22, with his family present.
Don joined Risk Sciences International (RSI) in 2012 as Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, following a distinguished career spanning government, academia, and clinical practice in the United States. During his time at RSI, he contributed to 47 scientific publications and served as a trusted mentor and colleague to many across the organization.
He began his career at the National Institutes of Health, where he conducted pioneering research. He went on to serve as a professor and clinician at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, with a joint appointment at the National Center for Toxicological Research. He later became Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh.
His leadership roles continued as Medical Director of the March of Dimes, followed by his service as Senior Advisor to the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Over more than two decades with the United States Public Health Service, Don responded to Hurricane Katrina and served aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy, ultimately retiring with the rank of Captain.
Following his retirement from NIH, Don continued to bridge science and practice. In addition to his leadership at RSI, he held academic affiliations as Associate Director of the McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment and Adjunct Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa. He later served as Distinguished Professor of Health Sciences at the University of South Carolina from 2021 to 2023.
His research contributions spanned reproductive toxicology, pharmacology, adverse drug events, and sex and gender differences in health. Over the course of his career, he authored more than 400 scientific papers and edited or contributed to numerous books.
Don’s achievements were widely recognized. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, and an elected Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Even in retirement, Don remained deeply committed to service, volunteering as a physician in free clinics in Gaithersburg and Hilton Head. He was known for asking himself at the end of each day, “What have I done for others?”
He will be remembered for his kindness, intellectual generosity, and quick wit. A lifelong learner, he was a voracious reader and found joy in photography, tennis, cross-country skiing, and fly fishing.
- “Don was not only a highly accomplished scientist who achieved international recognition for his work, he was also compassionate, well-liked, and deeply respected by all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with him,” said Daniel Krewski.
- “Appreciated him dearly and will cherish all the wonderful times we had in Lyon. May his memory be a blessing,” said Cemil Alyanak.“It was an honour and a real privilege to work with Dr. Mattison. He was not only a very knowledgeable physician, toxicologist, and dedicated scientist, but also a very kind person. I will always remember the warmth and light he brought to the office,” said Nataliya Karyakina.
- “Dr. Mattison was a wonderful person. It was an honor and a pleasure working with him. I will always remember our engaging discussions on a wide range of subjects,” said Natasha Shilnikova.
- “Dr. Mattison was a wonderful mentor who always made time to listen, advise, and encourage. I will always be grateful for his guidance,” said Abdallah Alami.
- “His kindness and the way he connected with others left a lasting impression. He was a very supportive mentor and often shared his enthusiasm for books and ideas,” said Nawal Farhat.
- “He generously shared his deep knowledge of pharmacoepidemiology and population health risk assessment. I will cherish our many conversations and greatly miss his wit, insight, and kindness,” said James Crispo.
- “Don was a great mentor, a genuinely kind and relentlessly positive person. He helped shape the professional I am today,” said Siva Ramoju.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Margaret; his son, Jon; his daughter, Amy; his sisters, Mary Mattison and Barbara Marks; his brother, Richard Mattison (Kathryn); and several nieces and nephews.
In accordance with Dr. Mattison’s wishes, services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders or a charity of choice.
The family extends its deep gratitude to caregivers, Vitality Living, Avodah Home Care, and Three Oaks Hospice for their compassionate care.
Pre-RSI
Dr. Mattison’s path to becoming a global authority in reproductive toxicology and public health began with a foundation in the physical sciences. After earning his BA in Chemistry and Mathematics at Augsburg College in 1966, he pursued a Master of Science in Chemistry at MIT, where he designed and built an 18 MHz pulsed NMR spectrometer—a forerunner to contemporary imaging techniques like MRI.
His passion for translational science led him to the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, where he earned his MD in 1973. He then embarked on dual clinical training paths: a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Sloane Hospital for Women in New York and a position as Clinical Associate in Developmental and Reproductive Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH.
This dual exposure to clinical care and research laid the groundwork for his lifelong contributions to risk science and reproductive health. He would go on to serve as Chief of the Section on Reproductive Toxicology at NICHD, leading efforts to understand and mitigate risks to maternal and fetal health, particularly from pharmaceuticals and environmental exposures.
Dr. Mattison continued his public service through a long and decorated tenure in the U.S. Public Health Service, from which he retired in 2012 with the rank of Captain (O6). During this time, he held prestigious roles including:
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Medical Director of the March of Dimes, where he advanced birth defect prevention and maternal health initiatives.
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Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, where he led curriculum innovation and interdisciplinary research in epidemiology and environmental health.
He has also held academic appointments at several institutions, including his most recent role as Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, a position he accepted in 2021.
Throughout his pre-RSI career, Dr. Mattison maintained medical licensure in six U.S. states—New York, South Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts—reflecting a sustained commitment to both practice and policy in medicine and public health.
As with many RSI staff, Dr. Mattison is passionate about sharing his findings and knowledge with the broader scientific community.
Case studies associated with Donald Mattison (1944-2026)
Publications associated with Donald Mattison (1944-2026)
Diagnosis of manganism and manganese neurotoxicity: A workshop report.
Safety surveillance of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine among pregnant individuals: a real-world pharmacovigilance study using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Non-Ergot Dopamine Agonists and the Risk of Heart Failure and Other Adverse Cardiovascular Reactions in Parkinson’s Disease.
Disproportionality analysis of adverse neurological and psychiatric reactions with the ChAdOx1 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccines in the United Kingdom.
Risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in mRNA COVID-19-vaccinated and unvaccinated populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Concomitant use of statins and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and the risk of myotoxicity reporting: A disproportionality analysis.
Myocarditis and Pericarditis Post-mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination: Insights from a Pharmacovigilance Perspective.
The use of categorical regression in the assessment of the risks of nutrient deficiency and excess.
Systemic quinolones and risk of retinal detachment III: a nested case-control study using a US electronic health records database.
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RSI News associated with Donald Mattison (1944-2026)
Quinolones and risk of retinal detachment
Outside RSI
Dr. Donald Mattison’s career has long been distinguished not only by scientific achievement but by a deep and sustained commitment to service, education, and personal wellness.
He has served in leadership and volunteer roles with organizations dedicated to public service, including his long-standing involvement with the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES) at the NIH, where he served on the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Education Committee from 2015 to 2020. His work there supported the professional development of scientists and physicians across disciplines, fostering lifelong learning at the nexus of research, regulation, and medicine.
In the clinical realm, Dr. Mattison has provided thousands of hours of care to underserved populations as a volunteer physician and Associate Medical Director at the Mercy Health Clinic in Maryland and now as Chair of the Quality Improvement Committee for Volunteers in Medicine in Hilton Head, South Carolina. These roles underscore his belief that accessible, high-quality healthcare is both a scientific and moral imperative.
He is also an avid fly-fisher and environmental educator, serving as a certified instructor and medical volunteer at the Trout Unlimited Conservation and Fly-Fishing Camp in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. There, he blends environmental stewardship with outdoor education, using nature as both a classroom and a restorative space.
Whether advising global drug regulators, co-authoring articles on pharmacokinetics and risk modeling, or caring for patients in community clinics, Dr. Mattison approaches each role with discipline, humility, and a commitment to the public good. He continues to mentor rising scientists and health professionals, serving as a bridge between academic medicine, regulatory policy, and the practical realities of care delivery.
In every facet of his work and life, Dr. Mattison exemplifies the ideal of a physician-scientist in service of society, bringing clarity, compassion, and scientific rigor to the complex challenges of human health.
