Lisa L Satterwhite

Lisa L Satterwhite serves as an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, and is a Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. Her work bridges environmental engineering with neuroepidemiology through community-engaged research.

Her research focuses on molecular epidemiology of environmental exposures, particularly pesticide exposure links to Parkinson's disease, cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and ALS, and climate change resilient rural communities. She pioneered field studies with migrant farmworkers in eastern North Carolina, establishing direct genetic links between pesticide metabolites and neurodegenerative disease markers. Her current work integrates remote sensing, deep learning, and epigenetic analysis to monitor environmental toxins.

Recent publications reveal a clear trajectory from cellular biophysics (2010-2014 sickle cell and cardiomyocyte imaging) toward environmental health epidemiology (2022-2025 epigenetic studies of pollution exposure). Her team develops field-deployable monitoring systems for cyanobacterial blooms while analyzing PM2.5 pollution sources in rural communities.

Her active grants include:

• Community-led Validation of Remote Sensing for Cyanobacteria Blooms (2025-2026)
• Mapping Epigenetic Memory of Exposure (MEMENTO, 2019-2024)
• Protecting Neurodevelopment in Latino Migrant Children (2017-2019)

Satterwhite teaches ENVIRON 393/394 and CEE 493/690 independent research courses, mentoring students in environmental health projects. Her work originated from investigating tetra-amelia birth defects among migrant farmworkers, driving her mission to end environmentally-caused chronic diseases through science-informed policy change.