Zachary Bitzer

Dr. Zachary Bitzer, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. He is actively involved with the Institute of Energy and the Environment, Cancer Institute (Cancer Control), and Penn State Center for Research on Tobacco and Health. His research focuses on environmental toxicology, particularly the production of toxins and oxidants from tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, and the role of dietary phytochemicals in mitigating oxidative stress.

• Postdoctoral Scholar, Penn State College of Medicine (2023)
• PhD, Food Science, Penn State University (2015)
• BS, Chemistry, Ursinus College (2006)

Dr. Bitzer's research explores free radical generation in tobacco products, biomarker development for exposure assessment, and the anti-inflammatory effects of dietary compounds. His work intersects with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to environmental protection and health.

Current projects include NIH-funded studies on free radical-induced biomarkers and the impact of electronic cigarette oxidants on lung cancer development. His recent publications focus on mouse pulmonary toxicity, patient-specific toxicant uptake, and oxidative stress in smokers.