Research Summary

I am Professor of Medicine and Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences and Chief of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at San Francisco General Hospital. With over 500 publications, I am a leading authority on the human pharmacology of nicotine and nicotine addiction. My laboratory also is a leading site for biomarker assessment of tobacco toxicant exposure. I am former president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), and the recipient of the Ove Ferno SRNT Award for Clinical Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. I have been a contributing author or editor to six US Surgeon General's Reports on tobacco including the 2010 Surgeon General's Report—How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease.

Research Funding

  • July 1, 1977 - June 30, 2025 - Clinical Pharmacology, Drug Action and Pharmacogenetics , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: T32GM007546
  • September 1, 1999 - May 31, 2025 - Drug Dependence Clinical Research Program , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30DA012393
  • August 5, 1999 - May 31, 2023 - Cancer Center Support Grant , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30CA082103
  • August 15, 2018 - July 31, 2022 - Cigarette Harm Reduction with Scheduled Electronic Cigarette Use , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01DA045519
  • June 1, 2015 - June 30, 2022 - Clinical Pharmacology of Electronic Cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA039264
  • April 1, 2013 - March 31, 2021 - Technology Innovations for Supporting Health in Alaska Native People , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01HL117736
  • September 15, 2005 - June 30, 2016 - Pharmacogenetics of Nicotine Addiction Treatment , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01DA020830
  • May 1, 2012 - March 31, 2016 - Mechanisms of the Nicotine Metabolism Effect on Tobacco Dependence , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA031193
  • March 1, 1979 - June 30, 2014 - Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nicotine , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA002277
  • June 1, 1999 - November 30, 2010 - Safety of Nicotine Reduction Strategy , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA078603
  • October 1, 1974 - November 30, 2007 - General Clinical Research Center , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: M01RR000083
  • March 1, 1979 - June 30, 2003 - PHARMACOKINETICS AND PHARMACODYNAMICS OF NICOTINE , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R37DA002277
  • February 1, 1978 - August 31, 2000 - DRUG DEPENDENCE CLINICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P50DA001696
  • July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1998 - NICOTINE METABOLISM IN PREGNANCY , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA009761
  • July 1, 1982 - June 30, 1990 - NICOTINE AND TAR INTAKE DURING CIGARETTE SMOKING , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA032389
  • September 1, 1982 - August 31, 1986 - PHARMACOLOGY OF NICOTINE IN HUMAN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01HL029476

Education

Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, MD, 1969, Medicine
Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, Bronx, New York, Intern and Resident, Internal Medicine, 1969-1971
Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 1971-1972

Honors & Awards

  • Oscar B. Hunter Award
  • Ove Ferno Award
  • 2002
  • UCSF Annual Distinguished Clinical Research Lecturer
  • Rawls Palmer Award for Progress in Medicine
  • Alton Ochsner Award Relating Smoking and Health
  • 1994-2002
  • NIDA Merit Award
  • American Board of Internal Medicine (Diplomate, 1968)
  • American Board of Medical Toxicology
  • American Board of Clinical Pharmacology
  • American Federation for Clinical Research (President 1996 to 1997)
  • American Society for Clinical Inves-tigation
  • American Society of Clinical Pharma-cology and Therapeutics
  • American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
  • Association of American Physicians
  • Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (President, 1996-1997)

Selected Publications

  1. Brouwer AF, Shafie-Khorassani F, Benowitz N, Shi N, Baker TB, Hayes-Birchler T, Piper ME Urinary tobacco and nicotine exposure biomarkers as predictors of transitions between cigarette and e-cigarette use in the Exhale longitudinal cohort study.  View on PubMed
  2. Smith TT, Luo X, Benowitz NL, Colby SM, McClernon FJ, Strasser AA, Tidey JW, Donny EC, Hatsukami DK The impact of nicotine reduction on cigarette reinforcement value within a marketplace containing alternative nicotine delivery products: A secondary analysis of a multi-site trial.  View on PubMed
  3. Christen SE, Bekka E, Schmid Y, Benowitz NL, Liakoni E Caffeine, nicotine, cannabis, and psilocybin: Pharmacology, toxicology, and potential therapeutic uses of four naturally occurring psychoactive substances.  View on PubMed
  4. Rigotti NA, Benowitz NL, Prochaska JJ, Rubinstein M, Clarke A, Blumenstein B, Cain DF, Jacobs C Cytisinicline for Smoking Cessation: The ORCA Phase 3 Replication Randomized Clinical Trial.  View on PubMed
  5. Mir H, Eisenberg MJ, Benowitz NL, Cowley E, Heshmati J, Jha P, Khara M, Mullen KA, Ofori SN, Rigotti NA, San Cartier R Canadian Cardiovascular Society Clinical Practice Update on Contemporary Approaches to Smoking Cessation.  View on PubMed
  6. St Helen G, Havel C, Addo N, Criner N, Jacob P, Benowitz N. Using a loose-leaf vaporizer to study tobacco-cannabis co-administration: A proof-of-concept study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Apr 22; 272:112678.  View on PubMed
  7. Benowitz NL Predicting Cardiovascular Risk With Use of Various Tobacco Products.  View on PubMed
  8. Benowitz NL, Yang HY, Jacob P, St Helen G Nicotine Dosimetry in Evaluating Electronic Cigarettes Compared to Cigarette Smoking: Implications for Tobacco Regulatory Science.  View on PubMed
  9. Nichols AL, Marotta CB, Lukas HL, Friesenhahn NJ, Wagenaar D, Mayo SL, Dougherty DA, Benowitz N, Gao W, Muthusamy AK, Lester HA Continuous Nicotine Monitors for Personal Nicotine Pharmacokinetics: A Receptor-Aware Research Agenda.  View on PubMed
  10. Allen AM, Cao Q, Stayer LG, Luo X, Jensen J, Pang RD, Allen S, Donny EC, Benowitz N, Smith T, Hatsukami D. Differences in Combustible Cigarette Smoking-Related Biomarkers by Hormonal Contraceptive Use: An Exploratory Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Jan 30.  View on PubMed
  11. Rezk-Hanna M, Ben Taleb Z, Benowitz NL. Nicotine levels in flavoured hookah (waterpipe) tobacco products: discrepancies between labelled and measured levels. Tob Control. 2025 Jan 11.  View on PubMed
  12. Dennison Himmelfarb CR, Benowitz NL, Blank MD, Bhatnagar A, Chase PJ, Davis EM, Fetterman JL, Keller-Hamilton B, Ogungbe O, Page RL, Rezk-Hanna M, Robertson RM, Whitsel LP, American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee. Impact of Smokeless Oral Nicotine Products on Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Policy, Prevention, and Treatment: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2025 Jan 07; 151(1):e1-e21.  View on PubMed
  13. Duong C, Rodriquez EJ, Hinerman AS, Hooshmand S, Claudel SE, Benowitz NL, Pérez-Stable EJ. Tobacco Biomarkers by Latino Heritage and Race, US, 2007 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2024 Dec 02; 33(12):1586-1597.  View on PubMed
  14. Liakoni E, Christen SE, Benowitz NL. E-cigarettes, synthetic nicotine, heated-tobacco and smokeless nicotine delivery products: the nicotine landscape beyond combustible cigarettes. Swiss Med Wkly. 2024 Nov 04; 154:3583.  View on PubMed
  15. Rigotti NA, Benowitz NL, Jacobs C. Cytisinicline For E-Cigarette Cessation-Reply. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Nov 01; 184(11):1393-1394.  View on PubMed
  16. Matt GE, Greiner L, Record RA, Wipfli H, Long J, Dodder NG, Hoh E, Lopez Galvez N, Novotny TE, Quintana PJE, Destaillats H, Tang X, Snijders AM, Mao JH, Hang B, Schick S, Jacob P, Talbot P, Mahabee-Gittens EM, Merianos AL, Northrup TF, Gundel L, Benowitz NL. Policy-relevant differences between secondhand and thirdhand smoke: strengthening protections from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke pollutants. Tob Control. 2024 Oct 19; 33(6):798-806.  View on PubMed
  17. Prochaska JJ, Vogel EA, Oppezzo M, Skan J, Knox M, Chieng A, Crouch MC, Aikens RC, Schnellbaecher M, Benowitz NL. A randomized controlled trial evaluation of a smoking cessation and physical activity intervention delivered via telemedicine in the Norton Sound region of Alaska. Addict Behav. 2025 Jan; 160:108179.  View on PubMed
  18. Christen SE, Hermann L, Bekka E, Vonwyl C, Hammann F, van der Velpen V, Eap CB, Benowitz NL, Haschke M, Liakoni E. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Inhaled Nicotine Salt and Free-Base Using an E-cigarette: A Randomized Crossover Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 Sep 23; 26(10):1313-1321.  View on PubMed
  19. Rigotti NA, Benowitz NL, Prochaska JJ, Cain DF, Ball J, Clarke A, Blumenstein BA, Jacobs C. Cytisinicline for Vaping Cessation in Adults Using Nicotine E-Cigarettes: The ORCA-V1 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Aug 01; 184(8):922-930.  View on PubMed
  20. Hatsukami DK, Jensen JA, Carroll DM, Luo X, Strayer LG, Cao Q, Hecht SS, Murphy SE, Carmella SG, Denlinger-Apte RL, Colby S, Strasser AA, McClernon FJ, Tidey J, Benowitz NL, Donny EC. Reduced nicotine in cigarettes in a marketplace with alternative nicotine systems: randomized clinical trial. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2024 Jul; 35:100796.  View on PubMed

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