Zachary Bitzer

Zachary Bitzer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, focusing on environmental toxicology with emphasis on toxin interactions with human biology and novel biomarker development. His work spans cigarette smoke, e-cigarette aerosols, and free radical analysis in environmental exposures.

Research Interests: Dr. Bitzer investigates free radical production in tobacco products (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices), oxidative stress mechanisms, and health impacts of air pollutants. His studies address flavoring chemical toxicity, nitrate content effects, and inhalation toxicology across diverse populations and product types.

Key Contributions: His recent work analyzes free radical yields in mainstream smoke from US and Chinese brands, evaluates e-cigarette cytotoxicity in vitro, and uses fMRI to study brain responses to flavored e-liquids. He collaborates on developing standardized research devices for inhalation studies.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with Penn State's Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE), contributing to their Health and the Environment research theme. Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams including chemists, engineers, and public health researchers.