Research Funding

Research Funded as Principal Investigators

Current Projects

NIH/NCI (R34Actf CA287719-01A1) Dai/Winickoff (PI) 9/1/2024-8/1/2025

Parents helping Parents for Youth Vaping Cessation (PhP-VX)

Project Summary Youth electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is a public health concern. Many youths are eager to quit vaping, and our prior study estimated that 67.3% of adolescent vapers reported past-year quit attempts, with an average of 5.3 times past-year quit attempts. However, the overall success of vaping cessation remains low, and a majority of adolescent vapers had unassisted quit attempts. The family environment is essential for youth growth, and parental support has long been documented as a critical protective factor for youth substance use. This feasibility study aims to develop and test a Parents- helping-Parents for youth Vaping Cessation (PhP-VX) program by providing parent-facilitated youth vaping cessation intervention.

NIH/NIDA (R01DA060466) Dai/Benowitz (PI) 3/15/2024-1/31/2028

Health Effects of E-cigarette Use on Brain Functions and Cognitive Development among Adolescents: A US Population-Based Study

[Project Summary] [Publications]

Nicotine in tobacco is highly addictive. Acute nicotine increases brain reward function through its effects on dopamine release; nicotine has a high affinity for the brain. Chronic nicotine exposure can induce increased numbers of central nerve system nicotine acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in animals and human smokers in vivo. The receptor-binding capacity of nicotine in the brain is higher in smokers than non-smokers because of the upregulation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the brain. This population study is centered on advancing our knowledge of exclusive Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) use vs. no tobacco use in youth brain structure and cognitive performance as well as the relative effects of exclusive ENDS use and cigarette smoking on brain health. Identifying the health effects of ENDS use on brain maturation is critical to informing effective regulatory actions and policies including making decisions about the potential risks of ENDS to public health.

NIH/FDA (R21 DA058328) Dai (PI) 9/1/2023-8/31/2025

Effects of Nicotine Concentration Levels in E-cigarettes on Biomarkers of Exposure to Toxicants and Tobacco Use Behaviors

[Project Summary] [Publications]

Nicotine level is a key product characteristic of modern e-cigarette products. Modern vaping products (e.g., pod-mod style like JUUL [5% nicotine]) predominately use nicotine salt formulations. High nicotine levels in salt formulations reduce the harshness and bitterness of nicotine, potentially allowing users to inhale more deeply and possibly deliver nicotine to the lung more efficiently. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing orders to several ENDS products that submitted Premarket Tobacco Product Applications across a range of nicotine levels, including as high as 6.0% (NJOY Daily Extra Rich). Given the paucity of research on the health impact of nicotine concentration in ENDS, the FDA lacks information on whether authorizing (or failing to authorize) products with higher nicotine concentration may adversely impact public health. Addressing these questions is timely, given that FDA announced plans for proposed rules to reduce nicotine levels to minimally addictive or non-addictive levels among cigarettes (Cig). This study will use the national and longitudinal biomarker and adult survey data to understand how e-liquid nicotine concentration levels are related to health effects, tobacco use behaviors, and nicotine dependence in the population level. We will examine between-subjects differences in biomarkers to tobacco-related toxicants by e-liquid nicotine concentration levels, and assess the effects of nicotine concentration levels on longitudinal within-subjects transitions in ENDS ↔ cigarettes and nicotine dependence. For both aims, we will further test the interaction effects of nicotine levels and vaping devices on biomarker outcomes and tobacco use behaviors. Nicotine levels in ENDS can have important implications for future tobacco regulatory science, especially how nicotine level is related to health effects, tobacco use behaviors and nicotine dependence in the US population.

Daisy Dai, PhD