Environmental Health Sciences Research Center

University of Iowa College of Public Health

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Jacob Simmering, PhD

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Dr. Simmering’s research uses large administrative health care claims data and modern statistical methods to understand the environmental determinants of health, in particular, respiratory infections (community acquired pneumonia and Legionnaires’ disease), chronic lung disorders (COPD and sarcoidosis), and neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease). In particular, he is interested in the extent to which seasonal patterns of disease may be driven by changes in pollution, weather, and sunlight. For Dr. Simmering, the use of very large, geographically extensive databases of health insurance claims and medical records provide a critical method for validating insights developed by emerging research in toxicology in the laboratory. Dr. Simmering uses this method to disentangle the constituent elements of an environmental exposure mixture through both modern statistical methods (e.g., Bayesian kernel machine regression,
generalized weighted quantile sum regression) and “experimental” design.

Selected Publications:

  1. Zhang Q, Schultz JL, Simmering JE, Kirkpatrick BQ, Weber MA, Skuodas S, Hicks T, Pierce G, Laughlin M, George B, Bertolli AX, Larson T, Thangavel R, Oya M, Meyerholz DK, Aldridge G, Fassler J, Narayanan NS. Glycolysis-enhancing α1-adrenergic antagonists have therapeutic potential in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2026 Jul 9. doi: 10.1186/s13195-026-02135-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42426853.
  2. Shin MR, Firouzshahi N, Liddiard G, Weis M, Simmering J, Glykys J, Schultz M, Hefti MM. Adaptive Suppression of MAPT Transcription Maintains Tau Proteostasis in Developing Human Neurons. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2025 Oct 3:rs.3.rs-7585327. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7585327/v1. PMID: 41255971; PMCID: PMC12622181.
  3. Simmering JE. Using Nonprobabilistic Surveys to Measure COVID-19 Incidence. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9):e2435407. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35407. PMID: 39348123.
  4. Hart A, Aldridge G, Zhang Q, Narayanan NS, Simmering JE. Association of Terazosin, Doxazosin, or Alfuzosin Use and Risk of Dementia With Lewy Bodies in Men. Neurology. 2024 Jul 23;103(2):e209570. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000209570. Epub 2024 Jun 19. PMID: 38896813; PMCID: PMC11226317.
  5. Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Francis SL, Strom AJ, Segre AM, Polgreen PM. Using a Fitbit-based Walking Game to Improve Physical Activity Among U.S. Veterans. Mil Med. 2025 Jan 16;190(1-2):194-201. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usae280. PMID: 38829720; PMCID: PMC11737325.
  6. Lee S, Harris LM, Miller AC, Cavanaugh JE, Nizar JM, Simmering JE, Abou Alaiwa MH, Polgreen LA, Polgreen PM. Risk for Dehydration and Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders Among Cystic Fibrosis Carriers. Am J Kidney Dis. 2024 May;83(5):695-697. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2023.09.011. Epub 2023 Nov 10. PMID: 37951339; PMCID: PMC11068020.
  7. Hart AA, Aldridge G, Zhang Q, Narayanan NS, Simmering JE. Lower risk of dementia with Lewy bodies among users of glycolysis enhancing drugs in a new user, active comparator design. medRxiv 2023.12.05.23299455. doi: 10.1101/2023.12.05.23299455
  8. Hart AA, Swenson A, Narayanan NS, Simmering JE. Rurality modifies the association between symptoms and the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2024 Aug;25(5-6):517-527. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2315185. Epub 2024 Feb 14. Erratum in: Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2024 Aug;25(5-6):I. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2326288. PMID: 38353166; PMCID: PMC11840969.
  9. Lee S, Harris LM, Miller AC, Cavanaugh JE, Nizar JM, Simmering JE, Abou Alaiwa MH, Polgreen LA, Polgreen PM. Risk for Dehydration and Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders Among Cystic Fibrosis Carriers. Am J Kidney Dis. 2024 May;83(5):695-697. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2023.09.011. Epub 2023 Nov 10. PMID: 37951339; PMCID: PMC11068020.
  10. Arakkal AT, Polgreen LA, Chapman CG, Simmering JE, Cavanaugh JE, Polgreen PM, Miller AC. Association between household opioid prescriptions and risk for overdose among family members not prescribed opioids. Pharmacotherapy. 2024 Feb;44(2):110-121. doi: 10.1002/phar.2891. Epub 2023 Nov 14. PMID: 37926925.
  11. Wiemken TL, Khan F, Puzniak L, Yang W, Simmering J, Polgreen P, Nguyen JL, Jodar L, McLaughlin JM. Seasonal trends in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and mortality in the United States and Europe. Sci Rep. 2023 Mar 8;13(1):3886. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-31057-1. PMID: 36890264; PMCID: PMC9994397.
  12. Weber MA, Sivakumar K, Tabakovic EE, Oya M, Aldridge GM, Zhang Q, Simmering JE, Narayanan NS. Glycolysis-enhancing α1-adrenergic antagonists modify cognitive symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2023 Mar 2;9(1):32. doi: 10.1038/s41531-023-00477-1. PMID: 36864060; PMCID: PMC9981768.
  13. Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Talan DA, Cavanaugh JE, Polgreen PM. Association of Appendicitis Incidence With Warmer Weather Independent of Season. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Oct 3;5(10):e2234269. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.34269. PMID: 36190731; PMCID: PMC9530968.
  14. Simmering JE, Welsh MJ, Schultz J, Narayanan NS. Use of Glycolysis-Enhancing Drugs and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Mov Disord. 2022 Nov;37(11):2210-2216. doi: 10.1002/mds.29184. Epub 2022 Aug 22. PMID: 36054705; PMCID: PMC9669185.
  15. Hoth KF, Simmering J, Croghan A, Hamzeh NY; GRADS Investigators. Cognitive Difficulties and Health-Related Quality of Life in Sarcoidosis: An Analysis of the GRADS Cohort. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 22;11(13):3594. doi: 10.3390/jcm11133594. PMID: 35806883; PMCID: PMC9267453.
  16. Zhang Q, Schultz JL, Aldridge GM, Simmering JE, Kim Y, Ogilvie AC, Narayanan NS. COVID-19 Case Fatality and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021;84(4):1447-1452. doi: 10.3233/JAD-215161. PMID: 34690147; PMCID: PMC8841099.
  17. Schultz JL, Brinker AN, Xu J, Ernst SE, Tayyari F, Rauckhorst AJ, Liu L, Uc EY, Taylor EB, Simmering JE, Magnotta VA, Welsh MJ, Narayanan NS. A pilot to assess target engagement of terazosin in Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2022 Jan;94:79-83. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.11.022. Epub 2021 Nov 27. PMID: 34894470; PMCID: PMC8862665.
  18. Simmering J, Stapleton EM, Polgreen PM, Kuntz J, Gerke AK. Patterns of medication use and imaging following initial diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Respir Med. 2021 Nov-Dec;189:106622. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106622. Epub 2021 Sep 25. PMID: 34600163; PMCID: PMC10918686.
  19. Francis SL, Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Evans NJ, Hosteng KR, Carr LJ, Cremer JF, Coe S, Cavanaugh JE, Segre AM, Polgreen PM. Gamifying accelerometer use increases physical activity levels of individuals pre-disposed to type II diabetes. Prev Med Rep. 2021 May 30;23:101426. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101426. PMID: 34178586; PMCID: PMC8209749.
  20. Hosteng KR, Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Cremer JF, Segre AM, Francis SL, Whitaker KM, Polgreen PM, Carr LJ. Multilevel mHealth Intervention Increases Physical Activity of Older Adults Living in Retirement Community. J Phys Act Health. 2021 May 26;18(7):851-857. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2020-0592. PMID: 34039774; PMCID: PMC10170790.
  21. Justice SA, Sewell DK, Miller AC, Simmering JE, Polgreen PM. Inferring patient transfer networks between healthcare facilities. Health Serv Outcomes Res Method 2022 Mar 2022: 1–152021. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10742-021-00249-5
  22. Simmering JE, Welsh MJ, Liu L, Narayanan NS, Pottegård A. Association of Glycolysis-Enhancing α-1 Blockers With Risk of Developing Parkinson Disease. JAMA Neurol. 2021 Apr 1;78(4):407-413. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2020.5157. PMID: 33523098; PMCID: PMC7851758.
  23. Simmering JE, Polgreen LA, Cavanaugh JE, Erickson BA, Suneja M, Polgreen PM. Warmer Weather and the Risk of Urinary Tract Infections in Women. J Urol. 2021 Feb;205(2):500-506. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000001383. Epub 2020 Sep 18. PMID: 32945727; PMCID: PMC8477900.
  24. Schwartz A, Arnold N, Skinner B, Simmering J, Eberlein M, Comellas AP, Fortis S. Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry in a Spirometry Database. Respir Care. 2021 Jan;66(1):58-65. doi: 10.4187/respcare.07712. Epub 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 32873751; PMCID: PMC7856524.
  25. Zhang Q, Schultz JL, Aldridge GM, Simmering JE, Narayanan NS. Coronavirus Disease 2019 Case Fatality and Parkinson’s Disease. Mov Disord. 2020 Nov;35(11):1914-1915. doi: 10.1002/mds.28325. Epub 2020 Oct 15. PMID: 32954522; PMCID: PMC7537245.
  26. Polgreen LA, Carter BL, Polgreen PM, Snyder PM, Sewell DK, Bayman EO, Francis SL, Simmering JE, Parker C, Finkelstein R. A pharmacist intervention for monitoring and treating hypertension using bidirectional texting: PharmText BP. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Nov;98:106169. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106169. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33038500; PMCID: PMC7686143.
  27. Stapleton EM, Simmering JE, Manges RB, Chipara O, Stone EA, Zabner J, Peters TM, Herman T, Polgreen PM, Comellas AP. Continuous in-home PM2.5 concentrations of smokers with and without a history of respiratory exacerbations in Iowa, during and after an air purifier intervention. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2020 Sep;30(5):778-784. doi: 10.1038/s41370-020-0235-1. Epub 2020 May 28. PMID: 32461549; PMCID: PMC7483738.