Research Summary

Dr. Apollonio is Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. She has served as an instructor and research mentor in the UCSF School of Pharmacy since 2004, and has earned multiple teaching awards. Her research focus is the translation of research into policy. She is particularly interested in the political and marketing activities of industries implicated in the spread of non-communicable diseases, which include tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cannabis, alcohol, and food. Her recent work addresses tobacco control in vulnerable populations, the combined use of tobacco and cannabis, the spread of laws addressing new tobacco and cannabis delivery systems, and policies that allow substitution of cannabis for opiates. Her research also considers the ways that clinical findings are used in developing policy interventions and communicating knowledge from scientists to the public, and identifies methods to increase the role of evidence in making public health policy decisions. The analysis underlying these findings relies on multiple data sources (including clinical research findings, surveillance datasets, internal industry documents, administrative datasets, and interviews) and uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify how policies affecting public health are made. Her work has been published in journals across disciplines, including law, medicine, pharmacy, political science, public health, and public policy. Her training includes a postdoctoral appointment at the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University.

Research Funding

  • September 15, 2024 - May 31, 2029 - Using opioid industry documents to understand marketing of addictive medications , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NIDA, Sponsor Award ID: 1R01DA058687-01A1
  • July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2028 - Postdoctoral Training in Tobacco Control , Multiple Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NIDA, Sponsor Award ID: T32DA057216
  • August 1, 2022 - July 31, 2027 - Addressing disparities in tobacco-related diseases by understanding the tobacco industry strategies , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NCI, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA268491
  • July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2026 - Improving pharmacy-based tobacco cessation services in California’s Central Valley , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: T33IR6471
  • September 1, 2021 - August 31, 2023 - California cannabis poisonings under Proposition 64 , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Department of Cannabis Control, Sponsor Award ID: RG-1603070583-553
  • July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2023 - Effect of minimum floor price laws on tobacco consumption , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 31KT-1894
  • January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022 - Characterizing online tobacco product marketing , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: US Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science, Sponsor Award ID: U54CA180890 (pilot)
  • January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021 - Effect of local tobacco flavor bans on consumption , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: US Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science, Sponsor Award ID: U54CA180890 (pilot)
  • July 1, 1994 - June 30, 2021 - Effect of Tobacco Advocacy at the State Level , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NIDA, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA043950
  • February 1, 2019 - January 31, 2021 - Linking local variation in marijuana and opioid policies to health outcomes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21DA046051
  • July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2019 - Effects of California’s 2016 tobacco policies on initiation, use, & quitting , PI . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 26IR-0014
  • November 1, 2016 - June 30, 2019 - Measuring combined tobacco, e-cigarette, and marijuana use in California , Co-PI . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 25IR-0025
  • July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2019 - San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SF-CAN) , Co-investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • July 1, 2015 - December 1, 2016 - Uses of evidence in health policy , PI . Sponsor: UCSF Research Allocation Program, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • September 13, 2011 - August 31, 2016 - Translating Research into Systemic Interventions for Tobacco Cessation , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: K07CA140236
  • October 1, 2014 - September 3, 2015 - State and local policies addressing the use and sale of non-cigarette tobacco products , Co-investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NCI, Sponsor Award ID: U01 CA 154240
  • January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014 - Partnership to Advance Breast Cancer Research , Co-investigator on subaward . Sponsor: California Breast Cancer Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
  • July 1, 2010 - December 31, 2011 - Creating systemic tobacco control interventions in marginalized populations , PI . Sponsor: American Cancer Society, Sponsor Award ID: A114962

Education

Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, BA, 1992, Political Science, History
Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, MPP, 1994, Health Policy
University of California, Berkeley, CA, PhD, 2003, Political Science
University of California, San Francisco, CA, Postdoctoral, 2003-2006, Health Policy

Honors & Awards

  • 1995
    Henry Robert Braden Fellowship, UC Berkeley
  • 2000-2001
    Graduate Dissertation Fellowship, UC Berkeley
  • 2003-2005
    American Legacy Foundation Fellowship, UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2005
    Certificate in Health Services Research, UCSF School of Medicine
  • 2008
    Academic Senate Travel Grant, UCSF
  • 2008
    Dean's Recognition for Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSF School of Pharmacy
  • 2009
    Regulation and Governance Prize for the best article published in the journal in 2007 or 2008

Selected Publications

  1. DiMario A, Knight K, Schmidt LA, Apollonio DE. Purdue's development of abuse-deterrent formulation opioids as a response to market competition: An industry documents analysis. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health. 2026; 9:100719. View on PubMed
  2. Consortium of the Center to End Corporate Harm, University of California, San Francisco, Chartres N, Apollonio DE, Bero LA, Bialous S, Crosbie E, Hendlin YH, Hiatt RA, Kearns C, Knight KR, Ling PM, Lustig RH, Redberg RF, Schmidt LA, Tasker K, Teherani A, Woodruff TJ. Corporate Vectors of Chronic Disease - Using Internal Industry Documents to Craft Counterstrategies. N Engl J Med. 2026 Mar 26; 394(12):1231-1237. View on PubMed
  3. Schneider S, Durazo A, Rodriguez S, Chan-Golston AM, Wakefield T, Halliday DM, Tracy D, Song AV, Apollonio DE. Corrigendum to "Perceptions of pharmacist-furnished nicotine replacement therapy among participants who smoke in California". J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2026 Jan 19; 103027. View on PubMed
  4. Schneider S, Halliday DM, Durazo A, Song AV, Apollonio DE. An Exploration of Access to Tobacco Cessation Services Through Pharmacies in a Medically Underserved Area in California: Accuracy of Telephone Information Regarding Pharmacist-Furnished NRT. J Prim Care Community Health. 2025 Jan-Dec; 16:21501319251403072. View on PubMed
  5. Halliday DM, Schneider S, Wakefield T, Durazo A, Tracy D, Song AV, Apollonio DE. An Observational Study of Nicotine Replacement Therapy Availability Through Pharmacist Prescribing in the California Central Valley. Tob Use Insights. 2025; 18:1179173X251387417. View on PubMed
  6. Dan Kabella, Kelly Ray Knight, Dorie Apollonio. Archives of Science: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century. Edited by Polina E. Ilieva and Venkat Srinivasan. Extending the Commercial Determinants of Health: Lessons from the Opioid Industry Archive. 2025. View on PubMed
  7. Wakefield T, Bialous S, Ling P, Apollonio DE. Efforts to secure nicotine and cannabis product placements in popular media by Ploom, Pax, and Juul: an analysis of tobacco industry documents. Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Sep 03. View on PubMed
  8. Matthay EC, Charris R, Ahern J, Apollonio DE, Jent V, Jacobs LM, Jung S, Schmidt LA, Gruenewald P. Interactive associations of cannabis and alcohol outlet densities with assault injuries in California: a spatiotemporal analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2025 Aug 05; 194(8):2304-2314. View on PubMed
  9. Mohammadi SM, Ling P, Apollonio DE, Bialous S. A framework for researching the waterpipe tobacco business sector in the United States. Tob Induc Dis. 2025; 23. View on PubMed
  10. Wakefield TD, Iniguez R, Bialous S, Ling P, Apollonio DE. Tobacco industry efforts to harness the voice and influence of community organisations. Tob Control. 2025 Jul 18. View on PubMed
  11. Schneider S, Durazo A, Rodriguez S, Chan-Golston AM, Wakefield T, Halliday DM, Tracy D, Song AV, Apollonio DE. Perceptions of pharmacist-furnished nicotine replacement therapy among participants who smoke in California. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2025 Sep-Oct; 65(5):102450. View on PubMed
  12. Schmidt LA, Jacobs LM, Matthay EC, Roake J, Lewis J, Ho R, Apollonio DE. Characteristics and Trends in Child Cannabis Exposures During Legalization in California. Am J Prev Med. 2025 Oct; 69(4):107963. View on PubMed
  13. Mohammadi SM, Ling PM, Apollonio DE, Bialous S. Utilisation of waterpipe tobacco imagery in cigarette advertising: a case study of American tobacco company and RJ Reynolds tobacco company. Tob Control. 2025 Jun 24. View on PubMed
  14. Ho RY, Regelman H, Ma A, Lee SY, Sandhu S, Shapiro S, Lewis J, Tsutaoka B, Apollonio DE. Changes in Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1 RA) Exposures Following Recent Demand for Weight Management: A Retrospective Review of California Poison Control System Data. J Pharm Technol. 2025 May 12; 87551225251332212. View on PubMed
  15. Kabella D, Apollonio D, Young H, Knight KR. The Rise of Clinical Decision Support Algorithms in Pain Management 2009-2024. J Gen Intern Med. 2025 Jul; 40(10):2423-2432. View on PubMed
  16. White JS, Atherwood S, Apollonio DE. Effect of a minimum floor price law for tobacco products on tobacco sales in Oakland, California, USA: a synthetic difference-in-differences analysis. Tob Control. 2025 Jan 19. View on PubMed
  17. Kui K, Hailozian C, Thai M, Chakravarty D, Apollonio DE, Kroon L, Vijayaraghavan M. Tobacco cessation, mental health, and substance use in a community pharmacist-linked cessation program for people experiencing homelessness. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Feb 01; 267:112527. View on PubMed
  18. Charris R, Ahern J, Apollonio DE, Jent V, Jacobs LM, Jung S, Schmidt LA, Gruenewald P, Matthay EC. Examining the Interactive Associations of Cannabis and Alcohol Outlets With Self-harm Injuries in California: A Spatiotemporal Analysis. Epidemiology. 2025 Mar 01; 36(2):196-206. View on PubMed
  19. Gac B, Tavares K, Yakubi H, Khan H, Apollonio DE, Crosbie E. Pharmaceutical industry use of key opinion leaders to market prescription opioids: A review of internal industry documents. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm. 2024 Dec; 16:100543. View on PubMed
  20. Apollonio DE, Dennehy CE, Tsourounis C, Wakefield T. An Observational Study of Regulatory Violations Related to Online Tobacco Product Marketing and Retailer Responses to US FDA Warning Letters. Tob Use Insights. 2024; 17:1179173X241300825. View on PubMed

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