Valerian E Kagan

Dr. Valerian E. Kagan is a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of Pittsburgh. A globally recognized leader in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, he pioneered the field of Oxidative Lipidomics, elucidating mechanisms of oxidative stress, cell death, and mitochondrial signaling in diseases like Alzheimer’s and radiation injury.

Education

• BS in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Moscow State University (1967)
• MS in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Moscow State University (1978)
• PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics, Moscow State University (1972)
• DSc in Biochemistry and Biophysics, USSR Academy of Sciences (1981)

His research focuses on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant strategies, and phospholipid-mediated signaling pathways, particularly in traumatic brain injury, inflammation, and nanotoxicology. Recent work explores ferroptosis and cardiolipin’s role in mitophagy and immune responses.

Publications highlight advancements in lipidomics, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, with applications in neurodegeneration, radiation injury, and nanomaterial toxicity.

Awards

• State Prize of the USSR for Science (1983)
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012)

Dr. Kagan teaches graduate courses in research methods, molecular toxicology, and pharmacology. His lab’s discoveries have led to novel drug development for oxidative stress-related conditions.