Ted Wagener, PhD, received the College of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Award
The award recognizes faculty and staff who have made exceptional contributions to education, research, patient care, community service and inclusive excellence. Congratulations, Ted!
Three Center for Tobacco Research students received 2025 Diversity Scholar Travel Awards from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
We are incredibly proud of Surya Narla (undergraduate student, Dr. Alayna Tackett's lab), Kelsea Cooper (undergraduate student at Ohio Wesleyan University, Dr. Brittney Keller-Hamilton's lab) and Leanne Atkinson (MPH student, Dr. Brittney Keller-Hamilton's lab) and appreciate their contributions to tobacco research.
Mary Ellen Wewers Seminar Series
Mark your calendars for the fifth of eight CTR Seminar Series events for 2024-2025. Lilianna Phan, PhD, MPH, MS, Assistant Professor at Drexel University will present "Promoting Health Equity Through Cigarillo Public Education." Monday, January 13th, 2025 at 12:00pm-1:30pm (Zoom and In-Person).
Learn more about the seminar series
The James Cancer-Free World Podcast: The research & impact of the Center for Tobacco Research, with Ted Wagener
Listen to the conversation with Ted Wagener, PhD, to learn about the current state of tobacco industry and tobacco research.
What's fueling America's obsession with Zyn?
Dr. Brittney Keller-Hamilton shared information on nicotine pouches with NPR's On Point.
Listen to the podcast or read the transcript
Congratulations to Dr. Alayna Tackett on her promotion from assistant to associate professor with tenure!
We are pleased to announce that Alayna Tackett, PhD, was recently promoted to associate professor with tenure! Dr. Tackett, a pediatric psychologist and researcher, joined the OSU Center for Tobacco Research in 2023. Her research focuses on respiratory and health effects associated with tobacco and e-cigarette use among youth and young adults. She has published over 80 peer reviewed articles. Her grant awards include an NIH-funded F32 examining e-cigarette use in youth with asthma, a career development K01, and an R01 assessing abuse liability, topography and toxicology of flavors and cooling agents in e-cigarettes. Dr. Tackett is a key member of the OSU Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science (TCORS). She is committed to service and scholarship, which is shown by her mentorship and efforts to support health education at local schools and community groups. Congratulations, Alayna!
Congratulations to the the inaugural recipients of the CTR Trainee Travel Awards
Open positions: Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Ohio State Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (OSU-TCORS)
The Ohio State University’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (OSU-TCORS) invites applications from individuals interested in obtaining postdoctoral research experience.
Learn more about the program, eligibility and how to apply.
Toral Mehta, CTR Project Manager, Named Besa’s Volunteer of the Year!
Toral Mehta, PhD, CTR Project Manager, was recently named Besa’s Volunteer of the Year. Toral moved to the U.S. from India in 2010. Dr. Mehta joined Dr. Ted Wagener’s lab in Oklahoma in 2016 and moved to Columbus in 2019 when he became the director of the Center for Tobacco Research. Toral began to volunteer with Besa during the COVID-19 pandemic and has volunteered over 150 hours in 2023. We are honored to work with Toral and incredibly proud of her efforts, both at the CTR and in the community.
Drs. Darren Mays & Ce Shang to Collaborate on NCI & FDA-funded U01 Grant for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco
Drs. Darren Mays & Ce Shange will collaborate with Rutgers Center of Excellence in Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST) on a new U01 grant funded by NCI and FDA. This grant will support rapid surveillance and reporting of information, and enhance the research community’s ability to understand, document, and quantify changes in the tobacco product marketplace and tobacco use patterns. Projects will provide time-sensitive data collection, analysis, and reporting. Findings and data will inform the FDA’s regulation of the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products to protect public health.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and James Cancer Hospital Welcomes Alayna P. Tackett, PhD
We are pleased to welcome Alayna Tackett, PhD as an Assistant Professor to the Division of Medical Oncology and to the Center for Tobacco Research. Dr. Tackett is joining OSU from the University of Southern California where she most recently was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population and Health Sciences. Dr. Tackett completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Oklahoma State University. She completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma. Her office will be located at the Center of Tobacco Research on Olentangy River Road. Welcome, Dr. Tackett!
F.D.A. Lets Juul Appeal Ban and Stay on the Market During a Review - The New York Times
Study shows menthol cigarette alternatives pose significant addiction and health risks
Micah Berman awarded 2023 John Slade Award from the Society of Research in Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT)
Micah Berman is the recipient of the 2023 John Slade Award, which honors SRNT members who have made outstanding contributions to public health and tobacco control through science-based public policy and public advocacy.
New $5 million FDA UC2 to Develop a Universal Smoking Machine Adaptor
Marielle Brinkman and Ted Wagener will lead a newly funded 5 year, $5 million cooperative agreement project from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products to develop a universal smoking machine adaptor that works with existing smoking machines so that regulators, manufacturers, and researchers can reliably conduct emissions testing of new tobacco products like e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products, and cigars. “We are excited about new internal collaborations with OSU’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, the Particle and Aerosol Characterization Laboratory, the Corporate Engagement Office Technology Commercialization, and the OSUCCC Medicinal Chemistry Services. We are also thrilled about our external collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Produced Better, and our smoking/vaping machine industry partner, Cerulean,” said Brinkman.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to contribute to the field of tobacco research in a very practical way and, hopefully, for many years to come,” said Wagener. “I am also just incredibly impressed with Mari and how she continues to raise the bar at OSU and the Center for Tobacco Research.”
Additional investigators and key personnel include Andrew May, Chad Bennett, Mary Pancake, Jason Robinson, Stephen Camp (OSU); Clifford Watson (CDC); Jeremy Jones (Produced Better); and Linda Crumpler (Cerulean).
New NCI R01 to Examine Waterpipe Smoking
Marielle Brinkman and Ted Wagener will lead a newly funded 3 year, $1.4 million grant from the National Cancer Institute/Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products to study how specific waterpipe tobacco additives affect users puffing behavior, product liking, harm perceptions, toxicant exposure, and lung functioning. “Mari is a leading researcher in the area of waterpipe, or hookah, smoking and this innovative study will provide the FDA the information needed to address the use of this harmful tobacco product which is now smoked by over half a million middle and high school kids and 1.2 million young adults in the U.S.,” said Ted Wagener. “This has been a stellar year for Mari and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to continue our collaboration.” Additional OSU and CTR investigators include Michael Pennell, Megan Roberts, Devin Peterson, Arpad Somogyi, and Joanne Patterson.
In The News
Recognizing tobacco use as a health hazard has resulted in changes for how tobacco cessation is promoted and for reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Since the initial Surgeon General's report on smoking health risks, smoking prevalence among adults has decreased, and millions of smoking-related deaths have been prevented. Many, however, still find it extremely difficult to quit despite the well-known adverse effects of smoking. In addition, a substantial number of teens are addicted to smoking and tobacco-related products.
The Center for Tobacco Research remains steadfast in the effort to raise awareness about tobacco dependence and cessation efforts while also sharing critical findings and knowledge with the public about today’s ever-evolving tobacco marketplace. As a result, the CTR has been featured in a number of news articles and educational videos involving their work with tobacco research including:
Be Vape Free: Just the Facts Virtual Field Trip
In this virtual video series featuring Center for Tobacco Research member Marielle Brinkman, students take on the role of E-Cigarette Sleuths and collect shocking evidence that uncovers the harsh truth about e-cigarettes and proves just how villainous vaping's effects are on the brain, heart and lungs.
Ohio State Receives $5.5 Million Grant to Study Health Impact of Youth Vaping
April 21, 2020
Researchers at The Ohio State University will study the health effects of e-cigarettes and nicotine on youth and help develop vaping cessation programs after receiving a $5.5 million grant from the American Heart Association. On Tuesday, the American Heart Association announced nearly $17 million in grants as part of its ENACT: End Nicotine Addiction in Children and Teens research initiative.
Elizabeth Klein Awarded Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award
March 31, 2020
Elizabeth Klein, interim chair and associate professor of health behavior and health promotion at the College of Public Health, has received a Fulbright Distinguished Chair Award to Adelaide, Australia for “Reframing Tobacco Warnings to Promote Female Smoking Cessation.”
The Hill: It's time to add graphic warnings to cigarettes
February 21, 2020
In August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a rule to require 13 new warnings for cigarette packages and advertisements. The rule would place images on tobacco materials that warn of risks like cancer or heart disease, which would help spread important information to the general public. Many countries have already required such “graphic warnings.”
Parade: Consider This Your PSA: You Can Quit Vaping—and Here Are 8 Ways to Put Down the Pen!
February 18, 2020
Need some tips on how to quit juul? First, see your doctor—he or she can give you a complete check-up to look for any signs of vaping-related illness. Also, try these surprising tips and tricks to stay on track—soon you’ll be breathing so much easier!
Experts Argue It's Time to Add Graphic Warning Labels to Cigarette Packages
February 13, 2020
Experts at the Center for Tobacco Research and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) are making a case for why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule to add 13 new graphic warnings for cigarette packages and advertisements should be allowed to go into effect.
Ohio State Vaping Researchers Working to Unlock Mysteries of E-Cigarette Use
January 10, 2020
Theodore Wagener, PhD, the director of the Center for Tobacco Research and the co-leader of the Cancer Control Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute sorts through the facts to provide a better understanding of vaping, e-cigarettes and their possible cancer connection.
Reuters: Juul disregarded early evidence it was hooking teens
November 5, 2019
Juul executives knew young people were flocking to its breakthrough e-cigarette shortly after it went on sale in 2015, a former manager tells Reuters. Its nicotine blend was so potent, engineers devised a kill switch to limit the dosage – but the idea was shelved.
CNN: 1 in 3 teens breathe secondhand e-cigarette vapors, new research says
August 28, 2019
More middle school and high school students in the United States are being exposed to secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes in public places, new research finds.