Nicotine, Tobacco, and Vaping Research Group
We conduct excellent, inclusive, distinctive and impactful research on nicotine, tobacco, and vaping that informs policy, addresses inequalities, and reduces harm from smoked tobacco.
- Our research addresses local, national, and global challenges which benefits communities and improves health and wellbeing.
- We lead on scientific investigation from laboratory experimentation and experiential work to large scale national surveys, trials, and evaluations, ensuring our research extends from the controlled environment to real-world impact.
Supported by funding from Cancer Research UK, the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), the Medical Research Council (MRC), and the British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP), our research group is dedicated to advancing psychological understanding of nicotine use and dependence and facilitating sustainable smoking cessation strategies. As tobacco smoking remains a significant contributor to preventable mortality, particularly among the most disadvantaged in society, our mission is to alleviate this burden of health inequality.
Collaborating closely with individuals who smoke and the healthcare professionals who support them, we leverage evidence-based methodologies to empower smoking cessation efforts. Embracing a harm reduction ethos, we explore reduced risk nicotine products such as vapes (e-cigarettes), seeking to optimize their efficacy for smoking cessation while actively assessing their appeal and use among young people.
Our research on nicotine explores effects on information processing, reward interactions, behavioural change, social cognition, and identity. Our work on vaping behaviour, and interactions with product type, nicotine e-liquid concentrations, and pack messaging has directly fed into local and national policy and service delivery improvements.
With a wealth of expertise including experimental design, pharmacokinetics, eye-tracking, survey development, evaluation design, qualitative methodologies, and Randomized Controlled Trials, we are at the forefront of innovative approaches to understand nicotine addiction, reduce tobacco smoking, and promote public health.
Core Members
- Lynne Dawkins
- Catherine Kimber
- Nicky Rycroft
- Eleni Vangeli
- Kirstie Soar
Affiliated Members
- Allan Tyler
- Claudia Civai
- Rachel Teodorini
- Dan Frings
PhD Students / Research Assistants
- Emke Brazier
- Nikki Rowston
- Bethany Gardner
Smoking Cessation Trial in Centres for the Homeless (SCeTCH)
- NIHR funder page with details and protocol: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/17/44/29
- Feasibility study paper: A cluster feasibility trial to explore the uptake and use of e-cigarettes versus usual care offered to smokers attending homeless centres in Great Britain : LSBU Open Research
- Protocol paper: Evaluating the effectiveness of e‐cigarettes compared with usual care for smoking cessation when offered to smokers at homeless centres: Protocol for a multi‐centre cluster randomised controlled trial in Great Britain : LSBU Open Research
Comparing the EU vs. US JUUL
Tailored Interventions to Assist Smokers to Stop Smoking using E-cigarettes (TASSE)
Text Messaging to Support Smoking Cessation using Vapes
- Full list of messages and description: Text messages to support e-cigarette use for smoking cessation: a tool for researchers - Article (v1) by Sharon Cox et al. | Qeios
- Published paper: Mobile Phone Text Messages to Support People to Stop Smoking by Switching to Vaping: Codevelopment, Coproduction, and Initial Testing Study. : LSBU Open Research
Reduced Risk Health Messages for E-Cigarette Packs
- Communicating the Relative Health Risks of E-Cigarettes: An online experimental study exploring the Effects of a Comparative Health Message versus the EU Nicotine Addiction Warnings on Smokers’ and Non-Smokers’ Risk Perceptions and Behavioural Intentions : LSBU Open Research
- Development and Testing of Relative Risk-based Health Messages for Electronic Cigarette Products : LSBU Open Research
- Messages matter: The Tobacco Products Directive nicotine addiction health warning versus an alternative relative risk message on smokers' willingness to use and purchase an electronic cigarette : LSBU Open Research
Compensatory puffing with lower nicotine concentration e-liquids
- Self-titration by experienced e-cigarette users: blood nicotine delivery and subjective effects : LSBU Open Research
- Compensatory puffing with lower nicotine concentration e-liquids increases carbonyl exposure in e-cigarette aerosols : LSBU Open Research
- 'Real-world' compensatory behaviour with low nicotine concentration e-liquid: subjective effects and nicotine, acrolein and formaldehyde exposure : LSBU Open Research
- Nicotine absorption from e-cigarettes over 12 months : LSBU Open Research
- Changes in puffing topography and subjective effects over a 2-week period in e-cigarette naïve smokers: effects of device type and nicotine concentrations
- Dr Sharon Cox, Principal Research Fellow in Behavioural Science, Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, University College London (UCL)
- Vassilis Sideropoulos (UCL), Senior Research Technician
- Professor Caitlin Notley (UEA), Addiction Research Group
- Emma Barry, London Tobacco Alliance
- Action on Smoking and Health
- Sumaiyah Rahma, Public Health Strategist, London Borough of Newham