Andrea Baccarelli (born December 6, 1970) is an

Italian American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...

epigeneticist In biology, epigenetics is the study of stable phenotypic changes (known as ''marks'') that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix '' epi-'' ( "over, outside of, around") in ''epigenetics'' implies features that are " ...

and clinical

endocrinologist Endocrinology (from ''endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental events ...

, best known for his academic contributions in the field of epigenetics, mitochondriomics, and computational epigenomics, with a research focus on investigating the impact of environmental exposures on

human health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

. He serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health The Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health is the public health graduate school of Columbia University. Located on the Columbia University Medical Center campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, the school ...

Education and career

Baccarelli obtained his

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

Epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

from the University of Turin, Italy, in 2000 and his

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

Molecular Epidemiology Molecular epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology and medical science that focuses on the contribution of potential genetic and environmental risk factors, identified at the molecular level, to the etiology, distribution and prevention of disease ...

from the Universita' degli Studi di Milano,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, in 2003. He completed his residency in

endocrinology Endocrinology (from '' endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental event ...

at the University of Milan and his

postdoctoral fellowship A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). The ultimate goal of a postdoctoral research position is to p ...

at the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (2000-2004). Baccarelli has served as the Environmental Health Sciences Department Chair and the Director of the Laboratory of Precision Environmental Biosciences at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health since 2016. Prior to joining Columbia University in 2016, he was the Mark and Catherine Winkler Associate Professor of Environmental Epigenetics at the

Harvard School of Public Health The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is the public health school of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. The school grew out of the Harvard-MIT School for Health Officers, the nation's first ...

. He was elected to the

National Academy of Medicine The National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly called the Institute of Medicine (IoM) until 2015, is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Medicine is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, En ...

and as President of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology in 2020.

Scientific work

Baccarelli's research focuses on epigenetic and molecular mechanisms as potential links between human disease burden and exposures to pollutants. His laboratory research activities have a focus on studying the effects of environmental pollutants on health, in particular on a molecular level.

Awards and recognition

Baccarelli was recognized as the “Person of the Year” by the City of Perugia, Italy.

Selected publications

* Baccarelli A, Bollati V. Epigenetics and environmental chemicals. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2009 Apr;21(2):243-51. *Marioni, R.E., Shah, S., McRae, A.F. ''et al.'' DNA methylation age of blood predicts all-cause mortality in later life. ''Genome Biol'' 16, 25 (2015). * Baccarelli, Andrea; Wright, Robert O.; Bollati, Valentina. et al. "Rapid DNA Methylation Changes after Exposure to Traffic Particles". *Bollati, Valentina, et al. "Changes in DNA methylation patterns in subjects exposed to low-dose benzene." ''Cancer research'' 67.3 (2007): 876-880. *Levine, Morgan E., et al. "An epigenetic biomarker of aging for lifespan and healthspan." ''Aging (Albany NY)'' 10.4 (2018): 573.

References

External links

* 1970 births Living people Members of the National Academy of Medicine {{cat improve, date=November 2021