Participants sought by UofL for research in e-cigarette flavors

Non-smokers aged 18 to 40 are sought for a research trial at the University of Louisville examining how flavors added to tobacco may lead to harmful outcomes.

The “Flavor and Addiction to e-Cigarette and Tobacco Toxicity” trial -- or FACTT -- is carried out by the American Heart Association Tobacco Research and Addiction Center at UofL. Principal investigator for the trial is Sanjay Srivastava, PhD, who also currently has ongoing toxicological studies of tobacco and nicotine to identify which chemicals are harmful and can be regulated.

The center was established in 2013 with a $10.7 million grant from the NIH and FDA. Under the leadership of director Aruni Bhatnagar, PhD, the center conducts multidisciplinary research to help shape the manufacture, distribution and marketing of tobacco products as they are regulated by the FDA.

UofL is building a body of research in the potential hazards of electronic cigarettes. In 2014, Bhatnagar chaired the 10-member panel of national experts that developed the American Heart Association’s first-ever policy statement on e-cigarettes, citing the paucity of research that has been conducted on the effects of e-cigarettes on health.

Another researcher with the UofL center, Daniel Conklin, PhD, is currently researching links between e-cigarette ingredients and cardiovascular conditions; Earlier this year, Conklin was invited to present his first findings showing the link between e-cigarette ingredients and atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries, by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for its Annual Meeting.

To be eligible for the FACTT trial, participants must not only be non-smokers, they also must be unmedicated and otherwise healthy. The trial requires a one-time visit for a blood draw at the center in the Delia Baxter Building at 580 S. Preston St. on the UofL Health Sciences Center campus.

Qualified participants will receive a $30 prepaid spending card. For more details and to sign up for the trial, contact the center at ATRAC@louisville.edu or 502-852-4236.