Do Electronic Cigarettes Reduce Harm?
Principal Investigator: Prudence Talbot
Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health- Grant
ID Number: 1R21DA037365-01
Award Date: 7/2/2014
Institution: University of California-Riverside
Relatively little is known about the health effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). The goal of this project is to understand how e-cigarettes affect human health by evaluating the cytoxicity (i.e. toxicity to cells) and genotoxicity (i.e., toxicity to genetic information within cells) of e-cigarette aerosols, flavorings, and chemicals. Specific aims are: (1) to quantify and compare the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of mainstream smoke from established cigarette products with e-cigarette aerosols by analyzing effects on embryonic and differentiated human cells; and (2) to identify the chemicals that cause cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in the products tested in Aim 1. Research findings may be used to inform policies for regulating e-cigarettes.