Theodore Wagener, PhD
Leadership Title: Co-Leader, Cancer Control Program Director, Center for Tobacco Research
Academic Title: Professor in the College of Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences
Research Program: Cancer Control
About Me
More info forI am the Director of the Center for Tobacco Research and Co-Leader of the Cancer Control Program at the OSUCCC – James. Additionally, I serve as a Professor and the Leonard J. Immke, Jr. and Charlotte L. Immke Endowed Chair in Cancer Research in the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University (OSU). I also hold a secondary appointment in the Department of Psychology at OSU.
I received my doctoral training in clinical psychology with a specialization in health psychology/behavioral medicine from Oklahoma State University and completed my psychology residency and T32 postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular behavioral medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine. As a clinical psychologist, I directed the behavioral sleep medicine clinic at OU Children’s Hospital from 2011 to 2016. My research focuses on tobacco regulatory science, including evaluating the behavioral, pharmacological, and toxicological effects of cigarette and non-cigarette tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes, oral nicotine products, and hookah. I have expertise in developing and testing motivational, enhancement-based smoking cessation and secondhand smoke reduction interventions for children of parents who smoke.
Current research projects include investigating the usage patterns of e-cigarettes among youth, young adults, and adults, assessing their efficacy for smoking cessation, and exploring effective regulation of e-cigarette marketing. I also study how various e-liquids influence nicotine delivery to the brain and other organs and explore strategies to reduce the abuse potential of e-cigarettes among youth while maintaining their effectiveness for adult smoking cessation. Additionally, my lab examines the impact of flavors and sweeteners on tobacco product initiation and maintenance and the potential effects of banning these additives on tobacco use among different populations.
Since 2012, my work has been continuously funded by the NIH and FDA, with over $50 million in extramural funding, including multiple program projects and center grants. I have authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Addiction, Tobacco Control, Nicotine and Tobacco Research, JAMA, JAMA Oncology, and the New England Journal of Medicine. I regularly present my research at national and international conferences and invited lectures. Beyond my research, I am dedicated to mentoring and training the next generation of psychologists, public health and tobacco researchers. I have guided numerous undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have received NIH predoctoral fellowships and have gone on to prestigious residencies, fellowships, and academic positions. I have also served as a primary or co-mentor on numerous NIH K-awards for postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty.
Research Interests
More info for- Tobacco Smoke Pollution
- Tobacco Use Cessation
- Tobacco
Education & Training
More info forMaster's Degree - MS
- Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
USA
Doctorate - PhD
- Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
USA
Post Doctoral Fellow
- Brown University
Providence, RI
USA
Residency
- Brown University
Providence, RI
USA
- Oklahoma State University
Academic Office & Contact Information
More info forAcademic Office:
Olentangy River Rd, 3650
3650 Olentangy River Rd
Columbus, Ohio 43214Email:
wagener.23@osu.eduPublications
More info forAugust 1, 2024E-Cigarette Nicotine Delivery Among Young Adults by Nicotine Form, Concentration, and Flavor: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial.
Cho YJ, Mehta T, Hinton A, Sloan R, Nshimiyimana J, Tackett AP, Roberts ME, Brinkman MC, Wagener TL
JAMA Netw Open
July 15, 2024Benchmarking a universal smoking machine adaptor for tobacco product testing.
El-Hellani A, Watson CH, Huang M, Wilson CW, Fleshman CC, Tran H, Chafin D, McGuigan M, Bravo Cardenas R, Petitti R, Pancake M, Bennett C, Mays D, Keller-Hamilton BL, Jones J, Ye W, Schaff J, Borthwick RP, Williamson RL, Wagener TL, Brinkman MC
Tob Control
July 15, 2024Universal smoking machine adaptor for tobacco product testing.
El-Hellani A, Watson CH, Huang M, Wilson CW, Fleshman CC, Petitti R, Pancake M, Bennett C, Keller-Hamilton BL, Jones J, Tran H, Bravo Cardenas R, Mays D, Ye W, Borthwick RP, Schaff J, Williamson RL, Wagener TL, Brinkman MC
Tob Control
May 27, 2024An observational human laboratory assessment of nicotine delivery, vaping topography and subjective effects of usual brand electronic cigarette use among young adults.
Keller-Hamilton B, Sloan R, Mehta T, Hinton A, Tackett AP, Roberts ME, Brinkman MC, Wagener TL
Addiction
May 9, 2024Relationship Between Product Features and the Prices of e-Cigarette Devices Sold in Web-Based Vape Shops: Comparison Study Using a Linear Regression Model.
He Y, Yang Q, Alish Y, Ma S, Qiu Z, Chen J, Wagener T, Shang C
JMIR Form Res
May 7, 2024Evaluating the Role of Nicotine Stereoisomer on Nicotine Pouch Abuse Liability: A Randomized Crossover Trial.
Keller-Hamilton B, Curran H, Alalwan M, Hinton A, Brinkman MC, El-Hellani A, Wagener TL, Chrzan K, Atkinson L, Suraapaneni S, Mays D
Nicotine Tob Res
May 4, 2024Reengineering Addiction - The Tobacco Industry's Potential Response to a Nicotine Standard for Cigarettes.
El-Hellani A, Wagener TL, Brinkman MC
N Engl J Med
May 3, 2024Oral nicotine pouch manufacturer's reduced exposure claims require evidence and regulatory oversight.
Alalwan MA, Mays D, Berman ML, El-Hellani A, Keller-Hamilton BL, Brinkman MC, Wagener TL, Tackett AP
Tob Control
April 15, 2024Examining the predictive utility of behavioral economic demand indices and subjective effects on the actualized reinforcing value of menthol cigarettes and potential alternatives.
Erath TG, Schulz JA, Hinton A, Mehta T, Reed DD, Tidey JW, Wagener TL, Villanti AC
Nicotine Tob Res
January 18, 2024Current cannabis use and pain management among US cancer patients.
Krok-Schoen JL, Plascak JJ, Newton AM, Strassels SA, Adib A, Adley NC, Hays JL, Wagener TL, Stevens EE, Brasky TM
Support Care Cancer
January 1, 2024The therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators is associated with acute effects and clinical outcomes in a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for major depressive disorder.
Levin AW, Lancelotta R, Sepeda ND, Gukasyan N, Nayak S, Wagener TL, Barrett FS, Griffiths RR, Davis AK
PLoS One
January 1, 2024Comparison of emissions across tobacco products: A slippery slope in tobacco control.
El-Hellani A, Adeniji A, Erythropel HC, Wang Q, Lamb T, Mikheev VB, Rahman I, Stepanov I, Strongin RM, Wagener TL, Brinkman MC
Tob Induc Dis
January 1, 2024Testing the feasibility of mobile ecological momentary assessment for symptom burden and management among metastatic cancer patients.
Brasky TM, Newton AM, Stephens JA, Strassels SA, Benzo RM, Hays JL, Stevens E, Wagener TL, Hedeker D, Krok-Schoen JL
Digit Health
January 1, 2024Correlates of susceptibility to waterpipe tobacco smoking in young adults.
Alalwan MA, Long L, Stevens EM, Keller-Hamilton B, Villanti AC, Leshner G, Wagener TL, Mays D
PLoS One
December 14, 2023Nicotine delivery and changes in withdrawal and craving during acute electronic cigarette, heated tobacco product, and cigarette use among a sample of Black and White people who smoke.
Leavens ELS, Lambart L, Diaz FJ, Wagener TL, Ahluwalia JS, Benowitz N, Nollen NL
Nicotine Tob Res
November 14, 2023Substitutability of menthol cigarette alternatives: a clinical trial.
Villanti AC, Hinton A, Schulz JA, Erath TG, Mehta T, Reed D, Tidey J, Businelle M, Wagener TL
Tob Control
November 14, 2023Evaluating the effects of nicotine concentration on the appeal and nicotine delivery of oral nicotine pouches among rural and Appalachian adults who smoke cigarettes: A randomized cross-over study.
Keller-Hamilton B, Alalwan MA, Curran H, Hinton A, Long L, Chrzan K, Wagener TL, Atkinson L, Suraapaneni S, Mays D
Addiction
September 22, 2023Marijuana and Cannabidiol Use Prevalence and Symptom Management Among Patients with Cancer.
Brasky TM, Newton AM, Conroy S, Adib A, Adley NC, Strassels SA, Hays JL, Cooper ZD, Wagener TL, Stevens E, Plascak JJ, Krok-Schoen JL
Cancer Res Commun
September 1, 2023Smoking cessation, harm reduction, and biomarkers protocols in the PhenX Toolkit: Tools for standardized data collection.
Bierut LJ, Hendershot TP, Benowitz NL, Cummings KM, Mermelstein RJ, Piper ME, Vrieze SI, Wagener TL, Nelms MD, Ives C, Maiese D, Hamilton CM, Swan GE
Addict Neurosci
May 18, 2023E-Cigarette Use among Sexual Minoritized Women and Nonbinary People Assigned Female at Birth: Assessing the Roles of Discrimination, Perceived Stress, and Social Support.
Wedel AV, Patterson JG, Lee DN, Stevens EM, Wagener TL, Keller-Hamilton B
Subst Use Misuse
April 12, 2023Concurrent Choice Assessment of Preference and Substitutability of E-cigarettes and Heated Tobacco Products for Combustible Cigarettes among African American and White Smokers.
Funk OL, Nollen NL, Wagener TL, Ahluwalia JS, Mayo MS, Mahmud KMF, Lambart L, Leavens ELS
Nicotine Tob Res
February 28, 2023Correlates of motivation to quit waterpipe tobacco smoking among US young adults: implications for cessation interventions.
Alalwan MA, Keller-Hamilton B, Long L, Lipkus I, Wagener TL, Mays D
Health Educ Res
January 1, 2023Associations of Perceived Stress and Social Support on Health Behavior Changes in Sexual Minoritized Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Lee DN, Stevens EM, Patterson JG, Wedel AV, Wagener TL, Keller-Hamilton B
Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle)
January 1, 2023The associations between e-liquid characteristics and its pricing: Evidence from online vape shops.
Ma S, Jiang S, Wagener T, Mays D, Chen J, Shang C
PLoS One
January 1, 2023Perceptions of oral nicotine pouches & their marketing among Ohio Appalachia smokers and smokeless tobacco users.
Long L, Alalwan MA, Keller-Hamilton B, Patterson JG, Roberts ME, Wagener TL, Atkinson L, Suraapaneni S, Mays D
PLoS One
November 24, 2022Addiction potential of combustible menthol cigarette alternatives: a randomised cross-over trial.
Wagener TL, Mehta T, Hinton A, Schulz JA, Erath TG, Tidey J, Brinkman MC, Wilson C, Villanti AC
Tob Control
November 7, 2022Adolescent and Young Adult Response to Hypothetical E-Liquid Flavor Restrictions.
Sidhu NK, Lechner WV, Cwalina SN, Whitted L, Smiley SL, Barrington-Trimis JL, Cho J, Wagener TL, Leventhal AM, Tackett AP
J Stud Alcohol Drugs
September 1, 2022Correspondence: Dual Use of E-Cigarettes and Cannabis Among Young People in America: A New Public Health Hurdle?
Roberts ME, Tackett AP, Singer JM, Wagner DD, Lu B, Wagener TL, Brinkman M, Klein EG, Vickerman KA, Wold LE, Gumina RJ, Mohler PJ
J Stud Alcohol Drugs
August 23, 2022Dual Use of E-cigarettes and Cannabis among Young People in America: A New Public Health Hurdle?
Roberts ME, Tackett AP, Singer JM, Wagner DD, Lu B, Wagener TL, Brinkman M, Klein EG, Vickerman KA, Wold LE, Gumina RJ, Mohler PJ
J Stud Alcohol Drugs
May 16, 2022A randomized pilot of a tailored smoking cessation quitline intervention for individuals who smoke and vape.
Vickerman KA, Carpenter KM, Miles LN, Hsu JM, Watt KA, Brandon TH, Hart JT, Javitz HS, Wagener TL
Nicotine Tob Res
April 6, 2022Minoritized Sexual Identity and Perceived Effectiveness of Instagram Public Health Messaging about E-cigarettes.
Lee DN, Stevens EM, Keller-Hamilton B, Wedel AV, Wagener TL, Patterson JG
J Health Commun
March 24, 2022The Impact of Recent Tobacco Regulations and COVID-19 Restrictions and Implications for Future E-Cigarette Retail: Perspectives from Vape and Vape-and-Smoke Shop Merchants.
Duan Z, Romm KF, Henriksen L, Schleicher NC, Johnson TO, Wagener TL, Sussman SY, Schillo BA, Huang J, Berg CJ
Int J Environ Res Public Health
February 23, 2022The siren's song of anonymous web-based sampling.
Brasky TM, Krok-Schoen JL, Conroy S, Newton AM, Strassels SA, Hays JL, Wagener TL
Cancer
February 1, 2022Associations of race and ethnicity with tobacco messaging exposures and tobacco use among bisexual and pansexual women.
Keller-Hamilton B, Stevens EM, Wedel AV, LaPolt DT, Miranda A, Wagener TL, Patterson JG
Prev Med Rep
January 21, 2022Correlates of youth Poly-E-Cigarette device use.
Hoffmeyer N, Hinton A, Wagener TL, Tackett AP
Addict Behav
December 31, 2021Responses to e-cigarette health messages among young adult sexual minoritized women and nonbinary people assigned female at birth: Assessing the influence of message theme and format.
Patterson JG, Keller-Hamilton B, Wedel AV, Wagener TL, Stevens EM
Drug Alcohol Depend
November 11, 2021Integrating Self-Report and Psychophysiological Measures in Waterpipe Tobacco Message Testing: A Novel Application of Multi-Attribute Decision Modeling.
Stevens EM, Villanti AC, Leshner G, Wagener TL, Keller-Hamilton B, Mays D
Int J Environ Res Public Health
October 1, 2021How marijuana use status affects responses to anti-marijuana messages.
Stevens EM, Leshner G, Cohn AM, Kim S, Wagener TL
Cannabis
September 1, 2021Psychophysiological responses to hookah tobacco public education messages among young adults.
Leshner G, Phan L, Stevens EM, Johnson AC, Villanti AC, Kim N, Kim S, Ma H, Seo J, Sun F, Keller-Hamilton B, Wagener TL, Mays D
Health Psychology
August 26, 2021Tailored Mobile Messaging Intervention for Waterpipe Tobacco Cessation in Young Adults: A Randomized Trial.
Mays D, Johnson AC, Phan L, Sanders C, Shoben A, Tercyak KP, Wagener TL, Brinkman MC, Lipkus IM
Am J Public Health
February 11, 2021Associations Between Exposure to The Real Cost Campaign, Pro-Tobacco Advertisements, and Tobacco Use Among Youth in the U.S.
Stevens EM, Hébert ET, Keller-Hamilton B, Frank-Pearce SG, Tackett AP, Leshner G, Wagener TL
Am J Prev Med
January 6, 2021Effects of flavourants and humectants on waterpipe tobacco puffing behaviour, biomarkers of exposure and subjective effects among adults with high versus low nicotine dependence.
Keller-Hamilton B, Mehta T, Hale JJ, Leavens ELS, Shihadeh A, Eissenberg T, Brinkman MC, Wagener TL
Tob Control
December 1, 2020Vape shop owners'/managers' attitudes about CBD, THC, and marijuana legal markets.
Berg CJ, Getachew B, Pulvers K, Sussman S, Wagener TL, Meyers C, Park A, Dorvil S, Patterson A, Weber A, Hayes RB, Barker DC, Henriksen L
Prev Med Rep
November 25, 2020Development and Pretesting of Hookah Tobacco Public Education Messages for Young Adults.
Phan L, Villanti AC, Leshner G, Wagener TL, Stevens EM, Johnson AC, Mays D
Int J Environ Res Public Health
November 10, 2020Adolescent Susceptibility to E-Cigarettes: An Update From the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Tackett AP, Keller-Hamilton B, Hébert ET, Smith CE, Wallace SW, Stevens EM, Johnson AL, Wagener TL
Am J Health Promot
October 19, 2020Vape shop and consumer activity during COVID-19 non-essential business closures in the USA.
Berg CJ, Callanan R, Johnson TO, Schliecher NC, Sussman S, Wagener TL, Meaney M, Henriksen L
Tob Control
October 13, 2020Associated Changes in E-cigarette Puff Duration and Cigarettes Smoked Per Day.
Wagener TL, Avery J, Leavens ELS, Simmons K
Nicotine Tob Res
October 1, 2020Evaluation of Respiratory Symptoms Among Youth e-Cigarette Users.
Tackett AP, Keller-Hamilton B, Smith CE, Hébert ET, Metcalf JP, Queimado L, Stevens EM, Wallace SW, McQuaid EL, Wagener TL
JAMA Netw Open
July 29, 2020Vape shop owners/managers' opinions about FDA regulation of e-cigarettes.
Berg CJ, Barker DC, Sussman S, Getachew B, Pulvers K, Wagener TL, Hayes RB, Henriksen L
Nicotine Tob Res
April 19, 2020E-cigarette Regulation: A Delicate Balance for Public Health.
Tackett AP, Hébert ET, Stevens EM, Wagener TL
Addiction
April 13, 2020Low powered variable voltage E-Cigarette batteries under perform at higher power settings.
Floyd EL, Subedi S, Wagener TL, Johnson DL, Oni TM
Inhal Toxicol