About

Jonathan L. Pierce, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a Professor of Surgery at UC Davis Health. His clinical interests focus on advanced laparoscopy, including bariatric, colon, foregut, solid organ, and hernia surgeries. His research interests include surgical education and techniques, as well as their implementation into training programs. Dr. Pierce completed his undergraduate studies in Wildlife and Conservation Biology at UC Davis and earned his M.D. from UC Davis School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in General Surgery at UC Davis Medical Center, followed by a residency at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. He also completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery at UC Davis Medical Center. Dr. Pierce has received several honors, including the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons Outstanding Laparoendoscopic Resident Surgeon Award in 2004 and the Paul R. Lipscomb M.D. Award for Excellence in Orthopaedics in 1999. His work has contributed to the fields of surgical education, minimally invasive surgery, and bariatric procedures.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Demography
• Internal medicine
• Environmental health
• Gerontology
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Tobacco advertising, cross-over effects, and US adolescent progression from never to current tobacco use

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Background and objectives Adolescent receptivity to tobacco advertising has been linked to increased tobacco initiation in longitudinal studies. However, not all ever users progress to daily use. We examined whether receptivity to tobacco advertising among adolescents was associated with product-specific use, including daily use, as an adult, and whether receptivity to one product had a cross-over effect and predicted use of a different product at follow-up. Methods In the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, 74.6% of adolescent never-tobacco-users at baseline (2013-14) reported receptivity to tobacco advertising (for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) and were surveyed on current tobacco use (every day, some days in past 30 days) an median of 7 years later (n = 7506). Multivariable logistic regression analyses included 8 common covariates. Results At follow-up, 20.1% were current tobacco users (15.4% e-cigarettes) and 8.4% were daily users (6.5% e-cigarettes). Receptivity to any advertising at baseline was associated with current use (AOR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.29,1.66) as well as daily use (AOR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.16,1.72). Product-specific advertising was associated with current use of each product at follow-up and there was a cross-over effect with receptivity to product advertising associated with current use of a different product. This cross-over effect on progression to daily use was only seen for e-cigarettes (e-cigarette receptivity: AOR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.19,1.84; cross-over receptivity: AOR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.16,2.06). The usual e-cigarette device for current vapers at follow-up included disposables (37.6%), refillable tanks (27.9%) and cartridges (26.4%). Fruit/candy and menthol flavors were used most. JUUL was the most common e-cigarette brand and 29% of JUUL users recently vaped fruit/candy flavors. Conclusions Among adolescents who were receptive to tobacco advertising but had never used tobacco at baseline, there was significant progression to current and daily tobacco use 6.6 years later. The cross-over advertising effect went beyond the particular advertised product and effectively promoted daily nicotine use, particularly among 12-14-year-old adolescents at baseline, with progression to e-cigarettes. Population increases in adolescent progression to daily nicotine use is a public health harm that needs public health action to counteract the effectiveness of e-cigarette marketing both in schools and at the community level.

  PublisherDOI

• Tobacco advertising, cross-over effects, and US adolescent progression from never to current tobacco use

  BMC Public Health · 2026-01-19

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescent receptivity to tobacco advertising has been linked to increased tobacco initiation in longitudinal studies. However, not all ever users progress to daily use. We examined whether receptivity to tobacco advertising among adolescents was associated with product-specific use, including daily use, as an adult, and whether receptivity to one product had a cross-over effect and predicted use of a different product at follow-up. METHODS: In the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, 74.6% of adolescent never-tobacco-users at baseline (2013-14) reported receptivity to tobacco advertising (for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) and were surveyed on current tobacco use (every day, some days in past 30 days) an median of 7 years later (n = 7506). Multivariable logistic regression analyses included 8 common covariates. RESULTS: At follow-up, 20.1% were current tobacco users (15.4% e-cigarettes) and 8.4% were daily users (6.5% e-cigarettes). Receptivity to any advertising at baseline was associated with current use (AOR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.29,1.66) as well as daily use (AOR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.16,1.72). Product-specific advertising was associated with current use of each product at follow-up and there was a cross-over effect with receptivity to product advertising associated with current use of a different product. This cross-over effect on progression to daily use was only seen for e-cigarettes (e-cigarette receptivity: AOR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.19,1.84; cross-over receptivity: AOR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.16,2.06). The usual e-cigarette device for current vapers at follow-up included disposables (37.6%), refillable tanks (27.9%) and cartridges (26.4%). Fruit/candy and menthol flavors were used most. JUUL was the most common e-cigarette brand and 29% of JUUL users recently vaped fruit/candy flavors. CONCLUSIONS: Among adolescents who were receptive to tobacco advertising but had never used tobacco at baseline, there was significant progression to current and daily tobacco use 6.6 years later. The cross-over advertising effect went beyond the particular advertised product and effectively promoted daily nicotine use, particularly among 12-14-year-old adolescents at baseline, with progression to e-cigarettes. Population increases in adolescent progression to daily nicotine use is a public health harm that needs public health action to counteract the effectiveness of e-cigarette marketing both in schools and at the community level.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 1 of Tobacco advertising, cross-over effects, and US adolescent progression from never to current tobacco use

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01

  article

  Supplementary Material 1

  DOI

• Additional file 1 of Tobacco advertising, cross-over effects, and US adolescent progression from never to current tobacco use

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Supplementary Material 1

  PublisherDOI

• Tobacco advertising, cross-over effects, and US adolescent progression from never to current tobacco use

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Background and objectives Adolescent receptivity to tobacco advertising has been linked to increased tobacco initiation in longitudinal studies. However, not all ever users progress to daily use. We examined whether receptivity to tobacco advertising among adolescents was associated with product-specific use, including daily use, as an adult, and whether receptivity to one product had a cross-over effect and predicted use of a different product at follow-up. Methods In the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, 74.6% of adolescent never-tobacco-users at baseline (2013-14) reported receptivity to tobacco advertising (for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) and were surveyed on current tobacco use (every day, some days in past 30 days) an median of 7 years later (n = 7506). Multivariable logistic regression analyses included 8 common covariates. Results At follow-up, 20.1% were current tobacco users (15.4% e-cigarettes) and 8.4% were daily users (6.5% e-cigarettes). Receptivity to any advertising at baseline was associated with current use (AOR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.29,1.66) as well as daily use (AOR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.16,1.72). Product-specific advertising was associated with current use of each product at follow-up and there was a cross-over effect with receptivity to product advertising associated with current use of a different product. This cross-over effect on progression to daily use was only seen for e-cigarettes (e-cigarette receptivity: AOR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.19,1.84; cross-over receptivity: AOR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.16,2.06). The usual e-cigarette device for current vapers at follow-up included disposables (37.6%), refillable tanks (27.9%) and cartridges (26.4%). Fruit/candy and menthol flavors were used most. JUUL was the most common e-cigarette brand and 29% of JUUL users recently vaped fruit/candy flavors. Conclusions Among adolescents who were receptive to tobacco advertising but had never used tobacco at baseline, there was significant progression to current and daily tobacco use 6.6 years later. The cross-over advertising effect went beyond the particular advertised product and effectively promoted daily nicotine use, particularly among 12-14-year-old adolescents at baseline, with progression to e-cigarettes. Population increases in adolescent progression to daily nicotine use is a public health harm that needs public health action to counteract the effectiveness of e-cigarette marketing both in schools and at the community level.

  PublisherDOI

• Development and Validation of a Simulation Model–Based Tool to Support Individualized Physical Activity Discussions and Prescriptions for Breast Cancer Survivors

  JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics · 2025-10-01 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  PURPOSE: Clinical guidelines recommend offering individualized physical activity prescriptions to cancer survivors. However, there are limited tools to support individualized physical activity discussions and prescriptions. We developed and validated a simulation model-based tool to estimate individualized survival outcomes for postdiagnosis physical activity among postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. METHODS: We adapted an established simulation modeling approach developed within the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network to estimate breast cancer-specific and all-cause survival associated with postdiagnosis physical activity for 50- to 75-year-old (postmenopausal) women with stage I to III invasive breast cancer. Model estimates were generated for 60,480 subgroups based on age, weight status (BMI), stage, tumor subtype, treatment, aerobic (<30 min/wk [no/minimal], ≥30 to <150 min/wk [insufficient], ≥150 to <300 min/wk [active], ≥300 min/wk [highly active]), and muscle-strengthening (<2 or ≥2 d/wk) activity. The outcomes were 10-year survival and absolute survival benefits for different levels of physical activity by individual characteristics and treatment. Model inputs were derived from trials, cohort studies, registry, and surveillance data. External validation used independent data. RESULTS: Survival rates and absolute benefits for physical activity varied by age, weight status, stage, tumor subtype, and amount and type of activity. For example, the 10-year breast cancer-specific and all-cause survival for no/minimal activity in a 65- to 69-year-old-woman with stage II, hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer with obesity was 79.2% and 72.2%, respectively. Increasing aerobic activity from no/minimal to insufficient activity with <2 d/wk of muscle-strengthening was associated with absolute increases in 10-year breast cancer-specific and all-cause survival by 2.8 and 3.4 percentage points, respectively. The model closely replicated survival rates in independent data. CONCLUSION: Simulation model-based estimates could support clinical tools for guideline-recommended individualized discussions and physical activity prescriptions for breast cancer survivors.

  PublisherDOI

• Challenging and Enforcing International Arbitral Awards in New York

  Oxford University Press eBooks · 2025-10-17

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract This chapter offers an in-depth review of the procedural and substantive challenges associated with enforcing international arbitral awards in New York. It examines the strategic options available to both successful and unsuccessful parties in international arbitration, highlighting the legal mechanisms used to confirm arbitral awards or to resist their enforcement. The chapter reviews the landscape of arbitral award enforcement and set-asides in federal and state courts in New York, addressing issues such as the timing of applications, jurisdictional requirements, venue considerations, and the nuances of service of process. The chapter also analyzes the application of substantive grounds for nonrecognition under the New York Convention and the Federal Arbitration Act in federal and state courts in New York.

  PublisherDOI

• Corrigendum to “Correlates of tobacco product initiation among youth and young adults between waves 1–4 of the population assessment of tobacco and Health (PATH) study (2013–2018)” [Addict. Behav. 134 (2022) 107396]

  Addictive Behaviors · 2025-03-26

  erratumOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Cannabis use and progression to regular tobacco use among United States youth and young adults: evidence from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, 2017–2021

  Tobacco Control · 2025-10-23

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Tobacco use among United States (US) youth and young adults has declined from historic levels, but cannabis use has not. The importance of cannabis use as a risk factor for tobacco initiation is not known. METHODS: The association between past 12-month cannabis use in 2017 (study exposure; wave 4) and new-onset regular tobacco use in 2021 (study outcome; wave 6) was examined in a prospective representative US cohort aged 12-24 years who had never regularly used tobacco. Exposed respondents were propensity score matched to unexposed controls on demographics, tobacco use history, perceived harmfulness of cigarettes, mental health symptoms and other measures. RESULTS: Among these US youths aged 12-17 years who used cannabis, 32.7% (95% CI: 28.9% to 36.7%) progressed to regular tobacco use in 2021, an increase of 15.6 percentage points (pp) (95% CI: 11.1 pp to 20.2 pp) compared with their matched controls. Among the young adults aged 18-24 years, 14.0% (95% CI: 11.9% to 16.5%) of cannabis users reported regular tobacco use at follow-up, an increase of 5.4 pp (95% CI: 2.6 pp to 8.2 pp) over their matched controls. The matching analysis attributed 13.0% of total new regular tobacco use in the US to cannabis (the population attributable fraction), and estimated that in the absence of cannabis, 509 800 fewer US youth and young adults would have progressed to regular tobacco use in 2021. CONCLUSION: Among US youth and young adults who had never regularly used tobacco, cannabis use in 2017 was associated with a large increase in current regular tobacco use in 2021.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Daily or Nondaily Vaping and Smoking Cessation Among Smokers

  JAMA Network Open · 2025-03-05 · 16 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Importance: An important public health goal is to increase tobacco cessation, but there is limited research on associations of vaping with tobacco cessation. Objective: To estimate the association of vaping with long-term tobacco cessation among US cigarette smokers who used electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; ie, e-cigarettes) in 2017. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used a nationally representative sample of US cigarette smokers from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health cohort at wave 4 (2017) with follow-up at wave 6 (2021). Data were analyzed from June 2023 to June 2024. Exposure: Wave 4 ENDS use: daily, nondaily, or no use. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were 12 or more months' abstinence from cigarette smoking and 12 or more months' abstinence from both cigarette and ENDS use, ascertained at wave 6. Propensity score matching was used to control confounding on 14 potential confounders, including interest in quitting, income, age, education, nondaily smoking, and presence of a smoke-free home. Results: A total of 6013 smokers were included in the sample (3634 aged ≥35 years [weighted percentage, 65.2%]; 3182 female [weighted percentage, 46.5%]). Among smokers who vaped daily (228 individuals), an estimated 20.9% (95% CI, 15.0% to 26.8%) were abstinent from cigarette smoking at follow-up, compared with 14.3% abstinence (95% CI, 13.0% to 15.5%) among smokers who did not vape (5070 individuals) and 12.6% abstinence (95% CI, 9.8% to 15.4%) among smokers who vaped nondaily (715 individuals). Compared with similar propensity score-matched smokers who did not vape, smoking cessation was 4.1 percentage points lower among those who vaped daily (95% CI, -11.9 to 3.6 percentage points; P = .30), a nonsignificant difference. Smoking cessation was 5.3 percentage points lower among those who vaped nondaily (95% CI, -9.1 to -1.5 percentage points; P = .01) compared with similar propensity score-matched controls. Considering abstinence from both smoking and vaping, compared with matched controls, smokers who vaped daily had lower abstinence at follow-up by 14.7 percentage points (95% CI, -20.2 to -9.2 percentage points; P < .001), and those who vaped nondaily had lower abstinence by 7.2 percentage points (95% CI, -10.7 to -3.8 percentage points; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this representative cohort study of US smokers who used ENDS, neither daily nor nondaily vaping was associated with increased smoking cessation, and each was associated with reduced tobacco abstinence, suggesting that careful adjustment of confounding is critical in studies of ENDS and smoking cessation.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Shirley W. Flatt

  University of California, San Diego

  425 shared

• Bette J. Caan

  Kaiser Permanente

  420 shared

• Cheryl L. Rock

  University of California, San Diego

  264 shared

• Cynthia A. Thomson

  University of Arizona

  261 shared

• Loki Natarajan

  Human Longevity (United States)

  255 shared

• Vicky A. Newman

  BioMarin (United States)

  197 shared

• Wendy Y. Chen

  184 shared

• Marilyn L. Kwan

  Kaiser Permanente

  179 shared

Education

• PhD, Communication Research

  Stanford University

  1981

Awards & honors

• Certificate of Appreciation, Institutional Central Line Trai…
• ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Program Designe…
• Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons (SLS) Outstanding Laparoend…
• Paul R. Lipscomb M.D. Award for Excellence in Orthopaedics,…