Aaron Barchowsky

Dr. Aaron Barchowsky is a Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health. The primary focus of his current research is investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases caused by environmental exposures to metals and chronic changes in cellular redox status. In vivo and cell cultured based studies focus on the molecular pathology and etiology of vascular disease and lost regenerative capacity caused by chronic exposure to low levels of arsenic in drinking water. The cell signaling pathways that mediate arsenic-stimulated pathogenic phenotypic changes in endothelial, muscle, and stem cells are being investigated. Research is also focused on critical questions of how environmental arsenic exposures promote unhealthy aging, limit tissue maintenance, and impair tissue stem cell function. A goal of improving mechanistic understanding of disease mechanisms is to identify effective interventions that limit the global burden of arsenic-promoted diseases.

Dr. Barchowsky currently directs the Pitt Public Health core curriculum course in Environmental Health and Disease (EOH 2013).  He also lectures in a range of courses in Pitt Public Health and the School of Medicine in areas including environmental epidemiology, environmental exposures, risk assessment, molecular cell signaling pathways, pathophysiology, toxicology, angiogenesis, and medical pharmacology.  In addition, he directs the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health MS and PhD program in Environmental Health Sciences.