Diana Pacyga

Diana Pacyga, PhD, MS, is a population health scientist who studies modifiable risk factors that influence health during important stages of life, from pregnancy and early childhood to midlife. Her expertise lies at the intersection of environmental and molecular epidemiology, where she integrates biomarkers of exposure and health to better understand how chemicals affect the body and contribute to differences in health in human populations. Her current research focuses on two areas. The first investigates opportunities to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals through diet. The second examines how environmental and occupational factors affect maternal mental health and the developing brain using standardized assessments and brain imaging data.

Areas of Research:

Chemical exposures
Occupational hazards
Diet quality
Pregnancy/early life
Women’s health
Neurodevelopment

Selected Publications:

Dietary guidelines adherence and pregnancy exposure to 10 classes of priority chemicals: an observational study in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101393 

Gestational Exposure to 10 Classes of Priority Chemicals and Birth Outcomes in the ECHO Cohort. JAMA Network Open, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.18883 

Sex-specific associations of gestational age at birth and birth size with early life within-network brain connectivity: An exploratory study. Imaging Neuroscience, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1162/IMAG.a.1204

Degree of food processing and serum poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2018. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114557 

Please see a full list of my publications here.

In the News: 

A Healthy Diet During Pregnancy Associated with Lower Exposure to Some—But Not All—Chemicals, NIH Study Finds. Read here.