James H. Diaz

James H. Diaz is a tenured Full Professor at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, holding dual appointments in the School of Public Health (Environmental/ Occupational Health Sciences) and the School of Medicine (Department of Anesthesiology). He is board-certified in multiple specialties, including Preventive Medicine and Anesthesiology. His research focuses on environmental and occupational toxicology, travel-related infections, and climate change impacts on public health.

Education: MD (Tulane University School of Medicine, 1975), followed by advanced degrees in Public Health, Tropical Medicine, and Health Systems Management from Tulane University. He completed residencies in Surgery, Anesthesiology, and a fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesia.

Research interests include infectious diseases in travelers, environmental poisonings, and disaster medicine. He has authored over 300 publications, including textbooks on anesthesiology and medical toxicology. Recent work includes studies on Hurricane Katrina's health impacts and tickborne diseases.

Teaching roles include course director for graduate courses such as Traveler’s Health and Tropical Medicine, Medical Toxicology, and Environmental Lung Diseases. He is actively involved in academic service committees at LSU Health Sciences Center.