Harvey Checkoway

Harvey Checkoway is a Professor at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), affiliated with the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. His academic role focuses on epidemiology and public health, with expertise in occupational and environmental risk factors for chronic diseases. Dr. Checkoway holds a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina (1978), an MPH in Epidemiology from Yale University (1975), and a BA in Psychology from Boston University (1971).

His research spans decades, emphasizing neurotoxicity from exposures like manganese, solvents, and pesticides. Key projects include studies on Parkinson's disease among welders and textile workers, lung cancer risks in diatomite workers, and pesticide exposure impacts in Ecuadorian adolescents. He has led numerous National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, including R01OH011661 (2019–2023) on manganese toxicity and T32ES007262 (1990–2007) for environmental epidemiology training.

• NIH R01OH011661 (2019–2023): Manganese-Related Motor and Cognitive System Toxicity Among Professional Welders
• NIH T32ES007262 (1990–2007): Environmental and Molecular Epidemiology Training Grant

His work integrates biomarkers, occupational exposure assessment, and cohort studies to address global public health challenges. Notable areas include the ESPINA cohort examining pesticide effects in Ecuador and neuroimaging in manganese-exposed populations. Checkoway's contributions highlight interdisciplinary approaches to understanding disease-environment interactions.

Advising and grants encompass over 40 studies, with a focus on occupational hazards, neurodegenerative diseases, and environmental toxin risks. He collaborates with teams like the ENGENE-PSP Study and the ESPINA Cohort, advancing methodologies in exposure-lag-response modeling and epidemiological triangulation.

Labs and research teams include collaborations with the Division of Global Health at UCSD, the University of Washington Exposures Center, and international groups in Mozambique and South Africa. His work addresses both workplace and community-level exposures, emphasizing global health equity.