Valentina Bollati

Valentina Bollati is a Full Professor of Occupational Medicine at the University of Milan and a leading expert in environmental epigenetics. As head of the Environmental Epigenetics Lab, her research explores how environmental factors influence epigenetic and molecular mechanisms and their connections to disease outcomes and health maintenance through life. She earned her PhD in Occupational Medicine, conducting her research between the University of Milan and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (University of Southern California, Los Angeles), where she laid the groundwork for her pioneering studies in environmental epigenetics. Her multidisciplinary approach integrates environmental health, medicine, epidemiology, and molecular biology.
Her groundbreaking work, including her seminal 2007 study on DNA methylation in benzene-exposed individuals, has profoundly impacted public health and cancer research. Her contributions span studies on air pollution, heavy metals, organic chemicals, and lifestyle factors such as physical activity, with a focus on vulnerable populations like pregnant women, children, and workers.
As a recipient of three prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants, she has advanced cutting-edge technologies to investigate how environmental exposures influence gene regulation and disease risk. She is also co-founder of the INES (Initiative of Epigenetics for Smiles) project, which promotes health by uncovering the molecular mechanisms of positive life experiences.
With over 250 peer-reviewed publications, more than 15,000 citations, and an H-index of 56 (Scopus), Dr. Bollati's work ranks among the top 2% of scientists globally.