About the USC TCORS
About the USC TCORS
The University of Southern California’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (USC TCORS) is one of seven Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science in the U.S. We were created to serve in the production of relevant scientific data to inform the regulatory decision making at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products. Additionally, we are here to educate and train the next generation of tobacco regulatory scientists.
Through its theme, informing regulation of the evolving market of non-combustible products to protect young people, the USC TCORS provide evidence on which non-combustible products and marketing approaches attract young users and should be singled out in regulatory policies designed to protect Adolescents and Young Adults. Supported by a Center-wide scientific and career development infrastructure, USC-TCORS provides the FDA with a robust body of evidence to assess how various regulatory approaches to e-cigarettes are likely to affect the health of the whole population.
About the Tobacco Centers for Regulatory Science
The FDA and NIH, as part of an on-going interagency partnership, awarded 7 Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS) grants in September 2023 to support research to inform the regulation of tobacco products. What scientists learn about tobacco through the TCORS program helps inform and assess FDA’s prior, ongoing, and potential regulatory activities. TCORS investigators also have the flexibility and capacity to respond to FDA’s research needs as issues are raised in today’s rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace.
Primary Research Projects
Our Center includes four interrelated projects that help to determine how modern Oral Nicotine Products (ONPs) and e-cigarettes impact Adolescent and Young Adult tobacco product use uptake, escalation, abuse liability, and poly-use patterns across populations. We also identify product characteristics and marketing approaches that amplify these impacts.
Project 1: Use of novel non-combustible tobacco products among US youth
This study determines how availability of different new non-combustible products impacts tobacco product use in US youth. In partnership with the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study, we are adding novel regulatory science-focused measures to the annual cross-sectional survey of US 8th, 10th, and 12th graders to assess trends in US youth non-combustible product use/poly-use from 2024-2028 and the product types, product characteristics, and populations driving such trends.
Project Lead(s): Adam Leventhal, PhD
Project 2: Longitudinal patterns of non-combustible product use in AYA
This longitudinal cohort study leverages regional cohorts to determine trajectories of Oral Nicotine Products, e-cigarette, and combusted tobacco use initiation, escalation, and poly-use transitions across ages 14-22, and identifies product characteristics and populations associated with these trajectories.
Project Lead(s): Jessica Barrington-Trimis, PhD and Chanita Hughes-Halbert, PhD
Project 3: Abuse liability and appeal of ONPs in young adults
This study examines which features of Oral Nicotine Products increase abuse liability and product appeal in young adult vapers. We use a nationwide sample of current e-cigarette users aged 21-25 years who are not planning to quit vaping and open to trying ONPs. We use an innovative remote virtual visit paradigm to conduct product appeal and abuse liability tests in a mixed factorial design varying ONPs by product type, flavor, and nicotine concentration.
Project Lead(s): John Monterosso, PhD and Raina Pang, PhD
Project 4: Social media influences on engagement and susceptibility to non-combustible use
This social media study analyzes public social media posts and conducts an innovative experiment in youth to collectively determine which approaches to marketing flavored non-combustible products on modern social media platforms engage the public and increase youth use susceptibility.
Project Lead(s): Jennifer Unger, PhD
Administrative Core
The Administrative Core provides a structural organization to facilitate administrative and scientific oversight as well as timely and efficient communication and integrative links among all Cores and Projects. Provides mechanisms for communication, interaction, and collaboration within USC-TCORS.
Core Lead(s): Adam Leventhal, PhD and Caryn Lerman, PhD
Career Enhancement Core
The USC-TCORS Career Enhancement Core provides career building experiences structured to increase the combination of knowledge of regulatory issues and skills in a specific scientific area. Administers the pilot research program to ensure that junior investigators pursue independent research questions aligned with our Center’s integrative theme. Provide support for our postdoctoral investigators to network and gain greater exposure to the broader TRS community
Core Lead(s): Caryn Lerman, PhD and Raina Pang, PhD
Measures and Materials Core
The Measures and Materials Core (MMC) use creative and rigorous methodologies to rapidly develop, refine, validate, and characterize assessments and materials for internal use by USC TCORS projects and for outward dissemination to the national network of tobacco regulatory scientists. The MMC collects information from key sources to ensure USC TCORS stays abreast of developments in the tobacco market and policy landscape and addresses the needs of diverse populations. The MMC also works with TCORS project investigators to execute measure and materials development, refinement, and validation designed to impact their projects.
Core Lead(s): Matthew Kirkpatrick, PhD
Data Processing and Analysis Core
To promote timely policy-informing regulatory science to protect adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and other groups targeted by the tobacco industry, it is critical to have a robust capacity to capture data using efficient interfaces, process data to ensure quality and usability for analysis, and develop and implement data analysis plans. The Data Processing and Analysis Core (DPAC) provides cross-cutting resources, support, and expertise for the USC TCORS projects and support all data-related aspects of the research projects. Supporting study design development with sound statistical and analytics planning is vital to the success of the overall USC TCORS program.
Core Lead(s): Ming Li, PhD and Junhan Cho, PhD
Cores
Our Center includes four cores that provide that optimize the productivity and impact of our regulatory science.
Featured Publications
Nicotine Concentration of E-Cigarettes Used by Youths
Cho J, Miech RA, Harlow AF, Han DH, Dai HD, Sussman S, Leventhal AM. Nicotine Concentration of E-Cigarettes Used by Youths. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Mar 3;8(3):e252215. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2215. PMID: 40146111; PMCID: PMC11950894.
Prevalence of Nicotine Pouch Use Among US Adults
Dai HD, Leventhal AM. Prevalence of Nicotine Pouch Use Among US Adults. JAMA. 2024 Sep 3;332(9):755-757. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.10686. PMID: 38985479; PMCID: PMC11238062.
Association of Race-Ethnicity Intersection With Disparities in Cigarette Smoking in U.S. Adults
Dai HD, Subica A, Mattingly DT, Harlow A, Leventhal AM. Association of Race-Ethnicity Intersection With Disparities in Cigarette Smoking in U.S. Adults. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 Jul 22;26(8):1066-1071. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae041. PMID: 38401167; PMCID: PMC11260889.
Assessing the public discourse on Twitter: Reactions to the JUUL e-cigarettes ban in the United States
Galimov A, Albers L, Rahman T, Vassey J, Kirkpatrick MG, Unger JB. Assessing the public discourse on Twitter: Reactions to the JUUL e-cigarettes ban in the United States. Tob Induc Dis. 2024 Feb 26;22. doi: 10.18332/tid/184053. PMID: 38410122; PMCID: PMC10895646.
Disposable E-Cigarette Use and Subsequent Use Patterns in Adolescents and Young Adults
Han DH, Harlow AF, Feldstein Ewing SW, Audrain-McGovern JE, Unger JB, Sussman SY, McConnell R, Barrington-Trimis JL, Leventhal AM. Disposable E-Cigarette Use and Subsequent Use Patterns in Adolescents and Young Adults. Pediatrics. 2024 Apr 1;153(4):e2023063430. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-063430. PMID: 38463010; PMCID: PMC10979299.
Nicotine-cannabis transitions and nicotine abstinence among United States adults
Han DH, Leventhal AM, Stokes AC, Audrain-McGovern JE, Eckel SP, Liu J, Harlow AF. Nicotine-cannabis transitions and nicotine abstinence among United States adults. Epidemiology. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001855. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40164563.
Effects of a fruit-ice combination flavor on appeal and sensory experience of vaping and moderation by preexisting e-cigarette flavor preference
Han DH, Peraza N, Jafarzadeh NS, Mason TB, Pang RD, Monterosso J, Leventhal AM. Effects of a fruit-ice combination flavor on appeal and sensory experience of vaping and moderation by preexisting e-cigarette flavor preference. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2024 Dec;32(6):737-744. doi: 10.1037/pha0000731. Epub 2024 Aug 29. PMID: 39207401; PMCID: PMC11878210.
Oral Nicotine Product Use and Vaping Progression Among Adolescents
Harlow AF, Han DH, Cho J, Bae D, Adjei A, Leventhal AM, Barrington-Trimis JL. Oral Nicotine Product Use and Vaping Progression Among Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2025 Jun 1;155(6):e2024070312. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-070312. PMID: 40383543.
Effect of packaging with versus without candy-oriented marketing themes on the appeal and sensory attributes of flavoured e-cigarettes
Jafarzadeh NS, Han DH, Peraza N, Anderson MK, Harlow AF, Monterosso JR, Pang RD, Mason TB, Hong K, Cahn R, Leventhal AM. Effect of packaging with versus without candy-oriented marketing themes on the appeal and sensory attributes of flavoured e-cigarettes. Tob Control. 2024 Oct 9:tc-2024-058904. doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-058904. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39384403; PMCID: PMC11978920.
Ice flavours and non-menthol synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarette products: a review
Leventhal AM, Tackett AP, Whitted L, Jordt SE, Jabba SV. Ice flavours and non-menthol synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarette products: a review. Tob Control. 2023 Nov;32(6):769-777. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057073. Epub 2022 Apr 28. Review. PubMed PMID: 35483721; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9613790.
Appeal and Sensory Characteristics of Oral Nicotine Products in Young Adults Who Vape E-Cigarettes
Peraza N, Han DH, Whaley RC, Vogel EA, Monterosso JR, Gonzalez Anaya MJ, Patel DJ, Jafarzadeh NS, Hong K, Mason TB, Tackett AP, Leventhal AM. Appeal and Sensory Characteristics of Oral Nicotine Products in Young Adults Who Vape E-Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 Nov 28:ntae281. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae281. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39607696.
Effects of 'Ice' flavoured e-cigarettes with synthetic cooling agent WS-23 or menthol on user-reported appeal and sensory attributes
Tackett AP, Han DH, Peraza N, Whaley RC, Mason T, Cahn R, Hong K, Pang R, Monterosso J, Page MK, Goniewicz ML, Leventhal AM. Effects of ‘Ice’ flavoured e-cigarettes with synthetic cooling agent WS-23 or menthol on user-reported appeal and sensory attributes. Tob Control. 2023 Nov 8:tc-2023-058125. doi: 10.1136/tc-2023-058125. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37940405; PMCID: PMC11076411.
Prospective study of e-cigarette use and respiratory symptoms in adolescents and young adults
Tackett AP, Urman R, Barrington-Trimis J, Liu F, Hong H, Pentz MA, Islam TS, Eckel SP, Rebuli M, Leventhal A, Samet JM, Berhane K, McConnell R. Prospective study of e-cigarette use and respiratory symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Thorax. 2024 Jan 18;79(2):163-168. doi: 10.1136/thorax-2022-218670. PMID: 37582630; PMCID: PMC11062480.
Vaping Devices with Video Games. Subst Use Misuse
Unger JB, Vassey J, Soto DW, Galimov A. Vaping Devices with Video Games. Subst Use Misuse. 2024 Sep 19:1-2. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2392547. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39297450.
Impact of Instagram and TikTok influencer marketing on perceptions of e-cigarettes and perceptions of influencers in young adults: a randomised survey-based experiment
Vassey J, Vogel EA, Unger JB, Cho J, Bae D, Donaldson SI, Allem JP. Impact of Instagram and TikTok influencer marketing on perceptions of e-cigarettes and perceptions of influencers in young adults: a randomised survey-based experiment. Tob Control. 2025 Feb 13:tc-2024-059021. doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-059021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39947698.
US adolescents' response to nicotine warning labels in influencer e-cigarette marketing social media posts: a survey-based randomised between-subject experiment
Vassey J, Vogel EA, Unger JB. US adolescents’ response to nicotine warning labels in influencer e-cigarette marketing social media posts: a survey-based randomised between-subject experiment. Tob Control. 2024 May 17:tc-2023-058534. doi: 10.1136/tc-2023-058534. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38749676; PMCID: PMC11569271.
Young Adults' Exposure to and Engagement With Tobacco-Related Social Media Content and Subsequent Tobacco Use
Vogel EA, Barrington-Trimis JL, Vassey J, Soto D, Unger JB. Young Adults’ Exposure to and Engagement With Tobacco-Related Social Media Content and Subsequent Tobacco Use. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 Feb 15;26 (Supplement_1):S3-S12. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntad108. PMID: 38366337; PMCID: PMC10873498.
Effects of flavour and modified risk claims on nicotine pouch perceptions and use intentions among young adults who use inhalable nicotine and tobacco products: a randomised controlled trial
Vogel EA, Tackett AP, Unger JB, Gonzalez MJ, Peraza N, Jafarzadeh NS, Page MK, Goniewicz ML, Wong M, Leventhal AM. Effects of flavour and modified risk claims on nicotine pouch perceptions and use intentions among young adults who use inhalable nicotine and tobacco products: a randomised controlled trial. Tob Control. 2023 Dec 26:tc-2023-058382. doi: 10.1136/tc-2023-058382. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38148143; PMCID: PMC11199376.
Effects of exposure to snus marketing with versus without modified risk tobacco product claims on snus use intention and perceived harm among young adults
Whaley RC, Vogel EA, Clementel AC, Barrington-Trimis JL, McConnell R, Liu F, Sussman S, Harlow AF, Unger JB, Tackett AP, Leventhal AM. Effects of exposure to snus marketing with versus without modified risk tobacco product claims on snus use intention and perceived harm among young adults. Tob Control. 2024 Jul 31:tc-2024-058651. doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-058651. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39084902.
Our Team
Directors
Adam M. Leventhal, PhD
TCORS Admin Core, Co-Lead; Project 1, Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Caryn Lerman, Ph.D.
TCORS Admin Core, Co-Lead; Career Enhancement Core, Co-Lead, Keck School of Medicine
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Project and Core Leads
Jessica Barrington-Trimis, PhD
TCORS Project 2, Co-Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Junhan Cho, Ph.D.
TCORS Data Processing and Analysis Core, Co-Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Ph.D.
TCORS Project 2, Co-Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Matt Kirkpatrick, Ph.D.
TCORS Measures and Materials Core, Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Ming Li, Ph.D.
TCORS Data Processing and Analysis Core, Co-Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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John Monterosso, Ph.D.
TCORS Project 3, Co-Lead
USC Dornsife
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Raina Pang, Ph.D.
TCORS Project 3, Co-Lead; Career Enhancement Core, Co-Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Jennifer Unger, Ph.D.
TCORS Project 4, Project Lead
Keck School of Medicine
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Administrative Staff
Lilit Aladadyan, DRSc, MS, MPH
Center Director
Prior to her position as Center Director, Lilit spent eight years as Director of Health Education for a community-based organization, where she developed and directed several community-wide and school-based health education programs in the areas of obesity, diabetes, asthma, and oral health. During the same time, Lilit earned her MS in Regulatory Science and is currently completing her doctorate in Regulatory Science at the USC School of Pharmacy. Lilit’s interests are in reducing the burden of preventable diseases through effective public policy and regulations.
Delia Beck, MPH
Project Manager
Prior to joining the USC TCORS, Delia has worked across the public health field, holding positions in research institutions, international funding agencies, nonprofit organizations and the private sector. In her most recent position as a National Partnerships Lead at a non-executive government agency in England, Delia led a national portfolio of physical activity and health investment programs. Delia earned her BA in Psychology at Ithaca College and a MPH at Imperial College London.
Since its inception, the Institute has successfully mobilized and expanded membership to over 80 faculty from 10 different schools, colleges, and hospitals.
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