Kent Pinkerton, PhD is a Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine and Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology in the School of Veterinary Medicine. An expert on air pollution, Dr. Pinkerton researches how vapors, gases, particles and fibers change the way respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological cells develop and function.

Dr. Pinkerton’s experiments on air pollution injury, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in animal models are widely known and fundamental in understanding the complex interplay between biological systems and the environment. 

Recognized worldwide for his work on fetal lung development, Dr. Pinkerton’s research focuses on the impact ozone, particulate matter, secondhand smoke, e-cigarettes and engineered nanomaterials have on health and disease.

Dr. Pinkerton is vice-chair of the American Thoracic Society’s International Health Committee, as well as a member of the Health Effects Advisory Committee for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Dr. Pinkerton sits on the editorial boards of Inhalation Toxicology and Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Social Media

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• YouTube

Positions at UC Davis

• Director, Center for Health and the Environment
• Director, Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
• Deputy Director, Environmental Health Sciences Center
• Professor, Pediatrics, School of Medicine
• Professor, Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine

Areas of Expertise

• Air pollution
• Asthma
• E-Cigarettes
• Cardiorespiratory physiology
• Comparative physiology
• Immunology
• Nanomaterials

Major Research Papers

Tamayo JM, Osman HC, Schwartzer JJ, Pinkerton KE, Ashwood P. Characterizing the neuroimmune environment of offspring in a novel model of maternal allergic asthma and particulate matter exposure. J Neuroinflammation. 2023 Nov 2;20(1):252. doi: 10.1186/s12974-023-02930-7. PMID: 37919762; PMCID: PMC10621097. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10621097/

Tran LN, Chiu EY, Hunsaker HC, Wu KC, Poulin BA, Madl AK, Pinkerton KE, Nguyen TB. Carbonyls and Aerosol Mass Generation from Vaping Nicotine Salt Solutions Using Fourth- and Third-Generation E-Cigarette Devices: Effects of Coil Resistance, Coil Age, and Coil Metal Material. Chem Res Toxicol. 2023 Sep 12;36(10):1599–610. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.3c00172. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37698991; PMCID: PMC10583227. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10583227/

Tamayo JM, Osman HC, Schwartzer JJ, Pinkerton K, Ashwood P. Characterizing the Neuroimmune Environment of Offspring in a Novel Model of Maternal Allergic Asthma and Particulate Matter Exposure. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2023 Jul 10:rs.3.rs-3140415. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3140415/v1. Update in: J Neuroinflammation. 2023 Nov 2;20(1):252. PMID: 37503062; PMCID: PMC10371118. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10371118/

Pan S, Karey E, Nieves-Cintron M, Chen YJ, Hwang SH, Hammock BD, Pinkerton KE, Chen CY. Effects of chronic secondhand smoke exposure on cardiovascular regulation and the role of soluble epoxide hydrolase in mice. Front Physiol. 2023 Jun 8;14:1185744. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1185744. PMID: 37362438; PMCID: PMC10285070. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10285070/

Fukuto A, Kang J, Gates BL, Sannajust K, Pinkerton KE, Van Winkle LS, Kiuchi Y, Leonard BC, Thomasy SM. Effect of graphene-based nanomaterials on corneal wound healing in vitro. Exp Eye Res. 2023 Apr;229:109419. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109419. Epub 2023 Feb 16. PMID: 36806671; PMCID: PMC10131158.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10131158/