John Balmes

John Balmes, MD, is a Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), affiliated with the Divisions of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. He holds leadership roles, including Director of the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program and the Northern California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Since 2008, he has served as the Physician Member of the California Air Resources Board.

Dr. Balmes' academic background includes an MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine training at Mount Sinai and Yale University for pulmonary medicine. His research focuses on air pollution's health impacts, including wildfire smoke, household air pollution, and occupational exposures. Notable projects include the Children’s Health and Air Pollution Study (CHAPS) and studies on biomass smoke in Guatemala, Malawi, Nepal, and Rwanda.

His research interests emphasize respiratory health, environmental justice, and translating science into policy. He collaborates with international teams and has led the UCSF Human Exposure Laboratory, pioneering studies on ozone-induced lung injury and cardiovascular responses to pollutants.

Dr. Balmes' work addresses global health disparities, advocating for cleaner air policies and interventions. His expertise spans epidemiology, clinical medicine, and public health advocacy.