Rapid Response Projects
A-TRAC is committed to fostering a fast-paced research environment that is flexible enough to design short-term projects that focus on time-sensitive topics identified by the FDA Center for Tobacco Products and the TCORS community. In the first five years of its inception, the Center funded a range of one- to two-year projects focused on understanding the toxicity, acute and chronic cardiovascular effects, and behavioral aspects of combustible and electronic tobacco products. The renewed Center started its first year of project funding in 2018 with two projects focused on outlining the toxicity and health effects of JUUL use. The subsequent funding cycles have led to more research geared towards answering emerging questions about JUUL and other novel tobacco products
2020-2021 Funding Cycle
Project title: Cardiopulmonary and Immune Toxicity of JUUL and Flavors
Investigators: Daniel Conklin, PhD, University of Louisville
Project title: Cardiopulmonary Effects of Vaping in Youth
Investigators: Vernat Exil, MD, University Of Iowa
2019-2020 Funding Cycle
Project title: JUUL Impact on Vascular Health Effects (JIVE)
Investigators: Michael Blaha, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University; Naomi Hamburg, MD, Boston University
Project title: Cardiovascular Toxicity of JUUL
Investigators: Daniel Conklin, PhD, University of Louisville; Naomi Hamburg, MD, Boston University
2017-2018 Funding Cycle
Project Title: Evaluating the Feasibility of Creating a Cross Cohort Collaboration (CCC) Tobacco Dataset
Investigator: Michael Blaha, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University
Project Title: Cardiovascular toxicity of Vaping and Flavorant-Constituents
Investigator: Judith Zelikoff, PhD, New York University
Project Title: Tobacco Product Transitions and Health across the Life Course in a Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study of Youth and Adults in the United States
Investigator: Lindsay Reynolds, PhD, Wake Forest University; Andrew Stokes, PhD, Boston University
2016-2017 Funding Cycle
Project title: Little Cigar and Cigarillo Induced Cardiovascular Toxicity in Human Subjects
Investigator: Jessica Fetterman, PhD, Boston University
Project title: Longitudinal follow up of young adult E-cigarette users for assessing cardiovascular and lung health
Investigator: Shyam Biswal, PhD, Johns Hopkins University
Project title: The Impact of Cardiovascular Risk-Benefit Messages on Preferences to Purchase Cigarettes or Alternative Nicotine Delivery Products
Investigator: Terry Pechacek, PhD, Georgia State University
Project title: Teen Vaping Among Vulnerable Populations: Understanding the “Why”
Investigator: Rose Marie Robertson, MD, American Heart Association
2015-2016 Funding Cycle
Project title: Evaluating the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes in Human
Investigator: Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University
Project title: Effects of original and flavored e-cigarettes on generation and urinary metabolism of reactive aldehydes (extension).
Investigator: Pawel Lorkiewicz, PhD; Research Scientist, University of Louisville
2014-2015 Funding Cycle
Project title: Effects of original and flavored e-cigarettes on generation and urinary metabolism of reactive aldehydes.
Investigator: Pawel Lorkiewicz, PhD; Research Scientist, University of Louisville
Project title: Electronic Cigarette Aldehydes and Cardiovascular Toxicity
Investigator: Daniel Conklin, PhD; Assistant Professor, University of Louisville
Project Title: Informing Tobacco Product Regulation and Education Campaigns through Study of the Real-Time Association Between Smoking Addiction and Physical Activity: Leveraging Mobile Health Tools in a Vulnerable East Baltimore Population
Investigator: Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University
Project Title: Oral mucosal exposure to smokeless tobacco causes differential cardio-toxicity in a mouse model
Investigator: Judith T. Zelikoff, PhD, New York University