UW-CTRI has awarded two pilot grants and three mini grants to investigators interested in tobacco research. UW-CTRI, selected as a Research Center of Excellence (P-50) by the National Cancer Institute, is charged with developing innovative tobacco-control research (beyond its primary UW-PASS Study) that increases scientific understanding of tobacco dependence. Here is a brief rundown of grant recipients.

Developmental Research (AKA "Pilot") Grants:

1. “Neuroscience Measures of Negative Affect During Withdrawal.” Kathryn Hefner & Jesse Kaye are graduate students working with UW-CTRI Collaborator John Curtin. Together, they’ll use EEGs (right) and skin conductance to gauge reaction of smokers to startle probes at various stages of quit attempts.

2. Dr. Adam Gepner, a resident working with UW-CTRI Collaborator Dr. Jim Stein, will be conducting a very detailed analysis of ECG changes after smoking cessation (versus those who do not quit).

Training Tobacco Scientists (aka “TTS” or “Mini”) Grants:

1. Dr. Kristin Berg: “Changes In Alcohol Use Following Smoking Cessation.” To view her brown bag presentation, click here.
   
   
2. Ansell Hillmer: “Development and Evaluation of an a4b2 PET Radiotracer.” Hillmer will test a new marker for the alpha-4 beta-2 receptor, which is known to be connected to dopamine release during smoking. This could improve understanding of nicotine craving, withdrawal, and treatments to help patients quit smoking.
   
   
3. Xiao Zhang: “Nationwide Changes in Smokefree Households and Children's ETS Exposure.” Watch future newsletter editions for progress reports on these projects.