Barrett Welch

Barrett Welch is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Public Health, specializing in Environmental Epidemiology with a focus on maternal and child health. His research examines how environmental chemical exposures during pregnancy affect immune function and pregnancy outcomes through inflammation and oxidative stress pathways, utilizing metabolomics and biostatistics in large cohort studies.

• Education:
  • PhD in Public Health, Oregon State University, 2019
  • MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health, Oregon State University, 2016
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIEHS/NIH 2019-2022

His research interests span environmental epidemiology, maternal/child health, chemical mixtures, and metabolomics. Recent work analyzes oxylipins and phthalate exposure in relation to preterm birth, fetal growth, and gestational hypertension. Articles from 2025 highlight associations between consumer product chemicals and fetal development, while 2024 publications explore genetic-environmental interactions in lipid metabolism.

Scientific recognition includes the 2024 International Society for Environmental Epidemiology Best Paper Award and multiple NIEHS Papers of the Year (2022-2020). Welch collaborates with networks such as the Pooled Phthalate and Preterm Birth Study Group and LIFECODES Fetal Growth Study.