Jose Suarez

Title(s)	Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science
School	Vc-health Sciences-schools
Address	9500 Gilman Drive # La Jolla CA 92093
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Biography

awards and honors

Society of Toxicology, Occupational and Public Health Specialty Section (262 manuscripts reviewed)	2012		Paper of the Year 2012: Suarez-Lopez J et.al Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children liv
Faculty Mentor Program, UCSD	2014 -	2015	Outstanding Service as a Mentor
JPB Foundation/Harvard University	2014 -	2018	JPB Environmental Health Fellow
Western Societies of Medicine	2016		First Annual Carmel Prize for Research Excellence
California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program	2017 -	2021	Governor Appointment: Member of the Scientific Guidance Panel
California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program	2022 -	2026	Governor Appointment: Member of the Scientific Guidance Panel

Overview

overview

Key words: pesticides, persistent pollutants, mental health, metabolism, respiratory, inflammation, metabolomics, cohort, clinical trial, climate change adaptation.

Dr. Suarez is the Division Lead of the Climate and Environmental Sciences Teaching Division and the Director of the Climate and Environmental Health Research Program at the H. Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego.

His main research interests involve understanding the environmental determinants of child and adult health in vulnerable populations. As the Principal Investigator of the NIH-funded Study of Secondary Exposures to Pesticides among Children and Adolescents (ESPINA), Dr. Suarez focuses on the impact of pesticide exposure on health, assessed from childhood to adulthood in Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador. Initiated in 2008, the study examines diverse health aspects including neurobehavior, mental health, endocrine function, inflammation, respiratory health, enzymatic activity, metabolomic profiles, liver and thyroid imaging, and smartphone mental health assessments. The study also includes blood/urinary markers and geospatial determinants to assess exposures to various chemicals including pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) and persistent pollutants (PFAS, PBDEs, PCBs, OCPs). In 2024, ESPINA will be completing the 16th year of follow-up of participants, as they transition into young adulthood. Dr. Suarez is also involved in community-based participatory processes in Ecuador in collaboration with Fundación Cimas del Ecuador; he collaborates on rural health surveys and mental health screenings, collecting data from 2004-2017 with geocoded information from thousands of individuals.

Additionally, he leads the Nuts and Olestra for Persistent Organic Pollutant Reduction (NO-POPs) trial, investigating the effects of dietary interventions on the excretion of Persistent Organic Pollutants in older adults in San Diego, CA. Suarez also serves as an appointee by Gov. Gavin Newsom of California to the Scientific Guidance Panel for the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program.

keywords

Environmental health, Pesticides, Children, Adult health, Mental Health, Persistent Pollutants, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Dietary interventions, Metabolomics, Endocrine, Cooling solutions

webpage

	The ESPINA study
	Division of Family Medicine and Preventine Health
	Department of Family Medicine and Public Health

Research

research activities and funding

Executive functions in urban Hispanic/Latino youth: exposure to mixture of arsenic and pesticides during childhood
NIH/NIEHS F31 ES035630-01Feb 1, 2024 - Jan 31, 2027
Role: Mentor
Description: This study aims to estimate the association of arsenic and insecticides (chlorpyrifos and pyrethroids) on executive function of adolescent participants (11-18 years) living in Montevideo, Uruguay as part of the Salud Ambiental Montevideo (SAM) cohort.

Global Center on Climate Change and Water Energy Food Health Systems P20.
Fogarty International Center TW012709-01Sep 18, 2023 - Aug 30, 2026
Role: Co-Investigator

PFAS, pesticides and imaging of the liver and thyroid of young adults within the ESPINA study
Oncoustics, UCSD 102584Jun 1, 2022 - May 1, 2025
Role: Co-PI
Description: This ancillary study to the 2022 follow-up examination of the study of Secondary Pesticide Exposures among Children and Adolescents (ESPINA) aims at understanding the health effects of perfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) and fungicides on liver steatosis, fibrosis and thyroid size in young adults.

Cyclical alterations in neurocognitive performance and mood over two years in relation to pesticide spray seasons among adolescent and young adult participants of the ESPINA study
NIH/NIEHS 1R01ES025792-06A1May 10, 2022 - Feb 28, 2027
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: This project builds on the ESPINA study 2022 examination and proposes to assess whether pesticide spray seasons are associated with cyclical alterations in mental health symptoms and cognitive performance assessed over two years using a smartphone-based assessment platform, and to test whether pesticide exposure biomarkers are related to elevated depressive and externalizing symptoms and decreased cognitive performance.

The 2020 ESPINA study follow-up Exam: Fungicides, Insecticides, Inflammation and Child Development
NIH/NIEHS R01ES030378Sep 1, 2020 - Jun 30, 2025
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: This project involves the 12-year follow-up of participants of the Study of Secondary Exposure among Children and Adolescents (ESPINA study). The major goals of this project are to determine the longitudinal associations of sub-clinical exposures to fungicides and insecticides with inflammatory markers (vascular, monocyte, systemic and liver) and cognition among adolescent participants living in agricultural communities in Ecuador as part of the longitudinal “Secondary Pesticide Exposures among Children and Adolescents” (ESPINA) study.

Pesticide exposures, mental health and endocrine disruption among children growing up near pesticide spray sites (ESPINA study).
NIH/NIEHS K01ES031697Sep 1, 2020 - Aug 30, 2024
Role: Mentor
Description: This training grant within the ESPINA study is aimed at characterizing the geospatial determinants of pesticide exposure, mental health and endocrine disruption among participants living within agricultural settings in which pesticides are used. Additionally, it will aim to measure neonicotinoid insecticides in water collected at various places within these communities.

Pesticides, Perfluorinated Compounds, and the Development of Adolescents in Agricultural Communities
Children's Health Exposure Analysis Resource - NIEHS 2018-1599Jul 1, 2019 - Dec 1, 2024
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: The goals of this project are to are to assess whether herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can affect adolescent health in outcomes including metabolomic patterns, neurobehavioral performance, mental health and body composition among participants of the ESPINA study

Pesticide Exposures and Risks of Adverse Motor and Cognitive System Health Effects Among Latino Residents of Imperial Valley, California
CTRI Pilot Grant Program Apr 1, 2017 - Mar 31, 2018
Role: Co-Investigator

GHI FLAGSHIP SITE: ECUADOR
GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE, UCSD Jul 1, 2016 - Jun 30, 2018
Role: Principal Investigator

The ESPINA Study Follow-up Examination in 2016: Environmental Pollutants and Child/Adolescent Development
NIH R01ES025792Apr 1, 2016 - Mar 31, 2021
Role: Principal Investigator

Pesticides and Mental Health among Adolescents in Ecuadorian Agricultural Communities
NIH R21ES026084Sep 1, 2015 - Aug 31, 2018
Role: Principal Investigator

Nuts and Olestra for Persistent Organic Pollutant Reduction (NO-POPs) Trial
JPB Foundation - JPB Environmental Health Program Oct 1, 2014 - Feb 28, 2018
Role: Principal Investigator

Environmental Pollutants, Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents
FPM PILOT GRANT PROGRAM Aug 1, 2014 - Jul 31, 2016
Role: Principal Investigator

Effects of Secondary Occupational Pesticide Exposure on Childhood Growth
NIH R36OH009402Sep 30, 2007 - May 31, 2009
Role: Principal Investigator

ORNG Applications

Clinical Trials

Bibliographic

selected publications

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.

Altmetrics Details

PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.

Testosterone, estradiol, DHEA and cortisol in relation to anxiety and depression scores in adolescents. J Affect Disord. 2021 11 01; 294:838-846. Chronister BN, Gonzalez E, Lopez-Paredes D, Suarez-Torres J, Gahagan S, Martinez D, Barros J, Jacobs DR, Checkoway H, Suarez-Lopez JR. PMID: 34375211; PMCID: PMC8992006.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 14 Fields:
Psy Psychiatry
Translation:Humans
COVID-19 and children's health in the United States: Consideration of physical and social environments during the pandemic. Environ Res. 2021 06; 197:111160. Suarez-Lopez JR, Cairns MR, Sripada K, Quiros-Alcala L, Mielke HW, Eskenazi B, Etzel RA, Kordas K, International Society for Children's Health and the Environment. PMID: 33852915; PMCID: PMC8542993.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 16 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans Cells PHPublic Health
Acetylcholinesterase activity and thyroid hormone levels in Ecuadorian adolescents living in agricultural settings where organophosphate pesticides are used. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2021 04; 233:113691. Phillips S, Suarez-Torres J, Checkoway H, Lopez-Paredes D, Gahagan S, Suarez-Lopez JR. PMID: 33581413; PMCID: PMC7965258.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 1 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Pub Public Health
Translation:Humans
Intercepted journeys: Associations between migration and mobility experiences and depressive symptoms among substance using migrants at the Mexico-Guatemala border. Glob Public Health. 2022 02; 17(2):297-312. Rocha-Jiménez T, Fernández-Casanueva C, Suárez-Lopéz JR, Zúñiga ML, Crespo N, Morales-Miranda S, Goldenberg SM, Silverman JG, Brouwer KC. PMID: 33430720.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 1 Fields:
Pub Public Health
Translation:Humans
Summary data of home proximity to the nearest greenhouse (floricultural) crops and areas of greenhouse crops around various distances from homes in agricultural settings in Ecuador. Data Brief. 2020 Aug; 31:105980. Nazeeh N, Suárez-López JR. PMID: 32685635; PMCID: PMC7358380.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 2
Residential proximity to greenhouse crops and pesticide exposure (via acetylcholinesterase activity) assessed from childhood through adolescence. Environ Res. 2020 09; 188:109728. Suarez-Lopez JR, Nazeeh N, Kayser G, Suárez-Torres J, Checkoway H, López-Paredes D, Jacobs DR, Cruz F. PMID: 32798937; PMCID: PMC7483309.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 7 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans Animals PHPublic Health
Associations of acetylcholinesterase inhibition between pesticide spray seasons with depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents, and the role of sex and adrenal hormones on gender moderation. Expo Health. 2021 Mar; 13(1):51-64. Suarez-Lopez JR, Nguyen A, Klas J, Gahagan S, Checkoway H, Lopez-Paredes D, Noble M. PMID: 33748533; PMCID: PMC7968045.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 13
The International Society for Children's Health and the Environment Commits to Reduce Its Carbon Footprint to Safeguard Children's Health. Environ Health Perspect. 2020 01; 128(1):14501. Eskenazi B, Etzel RA, Sripada K, Cairns MR, Hertz-Picciotto I, Kordas K, Machado Torres JP, Mielke HW, Oulhote Y, Quirós-Alcalá L, Suárez-López JR, Zlatnik MG. PMID: 31909653; PMCID: PMC7015537.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 3 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Residential proximity to greenhouse agriculture and neurobehavioral performance in Ecuadorian children. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2020 01; 223(1):220-227. Friedman E, Hazlehurst MF, Loftus C, Karr C, McDonald KN, Suarez-Lopez JR. PMID: 31607631; PMCID: PMC6915969.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 10 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Pub Public Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Associations of acetylcholinesterase activity with depression and anxiety symptoms among adolescents growing up near pesticide spray sites. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2019 08; 222(7):981-990. Suarez-Lopez JR, Hood N, Suárez-Torres J, Gahagan S, Gunnar MR, López-Paredes D. PMID: 31202795; PMCID: PMC6679983.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 22 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Pub Public Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Blood pressure after a heightened pesticide spray period among children living in agricultural communities in Ecuador. Environ Res. 2019 08; 175:335-342. Suarez-Lopez JR, Amchich F, Murillo J, Denenberg J. PMID: 31150932; PMCID: PMC6571166.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 5 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Summary data of serum concentrations of 32 persistent organic pollutants in young adults in relation to summary scores of persistent organic pollutants. Data Brief. 2019 Apr; 23:103720. Suarez-Lopez JR, Gross MD, Lee DH. PMID: 31193752; PMCID: PMC6541699.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 2
Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in early adulthood and blood lipids over a 23-year follow-up. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2019 Feb; 66:24-35. Suarez-Lopez JR, Clemesha CG, Porta M, Gross MD, Lee DH. PMID: 30594847.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 3 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Pha Pharmacology Tox Toxicology
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Home proximity to flower plantations and higher systolic blood pressure among children. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 09; 221(8):1077-1084. Suarez-Lopez JR, Hong V, McDonald KN, Suarez-Torres J, López D, De La Cruz F. PMID: 30131222; PMCID: PMC6128666.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 6 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Pub Public Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Acetylcholinesterase activity and time after a peak pesticide-use period among Ecuadorian children. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2018 02; 91(2):175-184. Suarez-Lopez JR, Butcher CR, Gahagan S, Checkoway H, Alexander BH, Al-Delaimy WK. PMID: 29026987; PMCID: PMC5797496.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 14 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Occ Occupational Medicine
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Agroecology and Health: Lessons from Indigenous Populations. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2017 06; 4(2):244-251. Suárez-Torres J, Suárez-López JR, López-Paredes D, Morocho H, Cachiguango-Cachiguango LE, Dellai W. PMID: 28429300.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 1 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans
Potential short-term neurobehavioral alterations in children associated with a peak pesticide spray season: The Mother's Day flower harvest in Ecuador. Neurotoxicology. 2017 May; 60:125-133. Suarez-Lopez JR, Checkoway H, Jacobs DR, Al-Delaimy WK, Gahagan S. PMID: 28188819; PMCID: PMC5447476.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 12 Fields:
Env Environmental Health Neu Neurology Tox Toxicology
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Persistent organic pollutants in young adults and changes in glucose related metabolism over a 23-year follow-up. Environ Res. 2015 Feb; 137:485-94. Suarez-Lopez JR, Lee DH, Porta M, Steffes MW, Jacobs DR. PMID: 25706918; PMCID: PMC4429782.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 15 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Acetylcholinesterase activity and neurodevelopment in boys and girls. Pediatrics. 2013 Dec; 132(6):e1649-58. Suarez-Lopez JR, Himes JH, Jacobs DR, Alexander BH, Gunnar MR. PMID: 24249815; PMCID: PMC3838526.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 23 Fields:
Ped Pediatrics
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Acetylcholinesterase activity, cohabitation with floricultural workers, and blood pressure in Ecuadorian children. Environ Health Perspect. 2013 May; 121(5):619-24. Suarez-Lopez JR, Jacobs DR, Himes JH, Alexander BH. PMID: 23359481; PMCID: PMC3673186.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 13 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Lower acetylcholinesterase activity among children living with flower plantation workers. Environ Res. 2012 Apr; 114:53-9. Suarez-Lopez JR, Jacobs DR, Himes JH, Alexander BH, Lazovich D, Gunnar M. PMID: 22405996; PMCID: PMC3319289.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 25 Fields:
Env Environmental Health
Translation:Humans PHPublic Health
Circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and subclinical atherosclerosis: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Clin Chem. 2012 Feb; 58(2):411-20. Gross MD, Bielinski SJ, Suarez-Lopez JR, Reiner AP, Bailey K, Thyagarajan B, Carr JJ, Duprez DA, Jacobs DR. PMID: 22179741; PMCID: PMC3867124.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 43 Fields:
Che Chemistry
Translation:Humans
Longitudinal examination of age-predicted symptom-limited exercise maximum HR. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Aug; 42(8):1519-27. Zhu N, Suarez-Lopez JR, Sidney S, Sternfeld B, Schreiner PJ, Carnethon MR, Lewis CE, Crow RS, Bouchard C, Haskell WL, Jacobs DR. PMID: 20639723; PMCID: PMC2891874.

View in: PubMed Mentions: 26 Fields:
Spo Sports Medicine
Translation:Humans