José Suárez, MPH, MD, PhD

Nuts and Olestra for Persistent Organic Pollutant Reduction (NO-POPs) Trial: A Pilot Investigation As part of the JPB Environmental Health Program, I lead the Nuts and Olestra for Persistent Organic Pollutant Reduction (NO-POPs) Trial, which aims to test the efficacy of 2 dietary interventions (nuts or olestra) on enhancing the excretion of Persistent Organic Pollutants, such as PCBs, PBDE flame retardants and organochlorine pesticides among older adults in San Diego, CA. 

I have conducted several studies in agricultural populations. I am the principal investigator of the NIH funded Secondary Exposure to Pesticides among Children and Adolescents study (ESPINA– Estudio de la Exposicion Secundaria a Plaguicidas en Niños y Adolescentes). The ESPINA study is a longitudinal study established in 2008 aimed at understanding the associations of sub-clinical exposures to pesticides with short- and long-term alterations in the development of children living the agricultural county of Pedro Moncayo, Ecuador. Our work focuses on mental health, endocrine, respiratory and enzymatic changes associated with exposures to many classes of pesticides and persistent organic pollutants. Currently we have completed the 2016 follow-up examination. I am involved in community-based participatory processes in Ecuador in which we are collecting community health surveys and mental health screenings of large rural populations. In these activities, we are interested in answering questions that directly respond to the needs of the communities. I am also investigating within the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study the associations of persistent organic pollutants (i.e. organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, PBDEs, PBBs) and markers of oxidative stress with and alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, and subclinical heart disease in middle age adults.

Suarez-Lopez JR, Hong V, McDonald K, Suarez-Torres J, Lopez D, De la Cruz F. Home proximity to flower plantations and higher systolic blood pressure among children. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2018 Aug 18. pii: S1438-4639(18)30347-X. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.08.006.

Suarez-Lopez JR, Butcher CR, Gahagan S, Checkoway H, Alexander BH, Al-Delaimy WK. Acetylcholinesterase activity and time after a peak pesticide-use period among Ecuadorian children. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. October 2017. doi:10.1007/s00420-017-1265-4

Suarez-Lopez JR, Checkoway H, Jacobs DR, Al-Delaimy WK, Gahagan S. (2017). Potential short-term neurobehavioral alterations in children associated with a peak pesticide spray season: The Mother’s Day flower harvest in Ecuador. Neurotoxicology; doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2017.02.002.

Suárez-Torres J, Suárez-López JR, López-Paredes D, Morocho H, Cachiguango-Cachiguango LE, Dellai W. (2017). Agroecology and Health: Lessons from Indigenous Populations. Curr. Environ. Heal. Reports; doi:10.1007/s40572-017-0146-z.