Karen M. Slimak, is a research scientist, consultant, and inventor. Her research emphasis is on studying the adverse effects of chronic human exposure to the complex milieu of volatile substances whose concentrations are increasing in our environment. She has provided expert guidance and assessments to government agencies, scientific organizations, industry and private individuals for over 30 years.

In her work with over a thousand adults and children suffering from a wide array of serious diseases and disorders, she has developed effective, simple strategies for avoidance of problem foods and total avoidance of environmental exposures, and has measured the resulting disappearance of symptoms and return to good health. Her work began with food allergies and sensitivities and has grown to encompass most chronic diseases and disorders.

Ms. Slimak holds 30 benchmark US and international patents in diverse art areas including treatments for chronic disease, non-gluten food products and processes, burn treatment, and fire retardants. She is President and Founder of Applied Science and Technology International, Inc., and Special Foods.

Professional Summary:

• President, Founder, of Applied Science and Technology International, Inc., research organization for studying the relationship between environmental exposures, food allergies and sensitivities, and chronic disease.
• She developed the SF Comprehensive Intervention Program, a program of simple and effective avoidance strategies, as a treatment for autism, a wide array of neurological disorders and many chronic diseases. The program combines complete avoidance strategies and optimal nourishment from a special diet, with technical guidance and personal counseling.
• She developed the Special Foods Diet, which provides the world's most well tolerated carbohydrates in a well-balanced 7-day rotation diet of unusual foods. With this diet, complete elimination of all food-related problems is achieved.
• She has over 20 years of experience in a wide variety of chronic conditions including but not limited to: autism, PDD, Asperger's syndrome, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, depression, severe anger outbursts, OCD, seizures, asthma, chronic congestion, chronic constipation/diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches, eczema, fluid retention, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. The individuals studied were found to have underlying sensitivities to food and sensitivities to volatile organic compounds, plastics, pollen and mold as the sole cause of their conditions.
• She established the ASTI autism research program, which has now studied over 40 autistic children and over 60 non-autistic children and adults, and documented the weekly changes in symptom levels of each participant.
• She has worked with physicians and researchers at major universities and research institutions in the US and Canada. This includes the National Research Council, University of Toronto, Harvard University, Boston University, the National Institutes of Health, HEW, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.
• She has developed many new foods from unusual carbohydrates and currently holds patents in the US and internationally, encompassing over 600 processes and 600 products.
• She has over 30 years of consulting experience in housing design, modification, and materials for individuals, schools, industrial clients, and architectural firms.

• Consulting senior environmental scientist, chemist and engineer specializing in environmental toxicology, health effects, exposure assessments, indoor air pollution, environmental materials balances, environmental fate, hazardous waste management, environmental control techniques, and analytical chemistry.
• Program manager: multimillion-dollar EPA project. Responsible for assessments of rates of release to air, water, foods and soil throughout the entire production, use and disposal cycles of over 90 volatile organic compounds.
• Conducted assessments of environmental chemicals released to indoor and outdoor air for many industries.
• Conducted health effects assessments and developed exposure guidelines for many industries.
• Director, Analytical laboratory: analysis of volatile organic compounds in environmental samples.
• Principal scientist, National Research Council: scientific assessment of environmental fate and effects, and environmental control techniques.

Member:

• American Chemical Society
• Division of Environmental Chemistry
• Division of Chemical Health and Safety

Educational Background:

• MS, Zoology, emphasis: Environmental Chemistry, Oklahoma State University
• BS, Biology, SNU

Publications and presentations:

• Author of over 40 publications and reports on complex allergies, environmental toxicology and environmental chemistry, indoor air pollution, and hazardous waste management.

Patents:

• Over 30 patents awarded; 5 applications pending