Avatar-led mobile program to help young adults quit tobacco
Official title: Project 5: Development and pilot evaluation of a novel mobile health intervention for young adult tobacco cessation
Funded at New Mexico State University Las Cruces · NIH-11190918 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new avatar-led mobile program called LiFT offers tailored quit support for 18–30-year-olds who use nicotine and tobacco products.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New Mexico State University Las Cruces NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Cruces, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2007 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $116,944 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA132383-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11190918 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young adults aged 18–30 who currently use any commercial nicotine or tobacco products, regardless of their current readiness to quit, are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People under 18 or over 30, non-tobacco users, or those seeking only medication-based treatment may not be eligible or benefit from this mobile behavioral program.
What this research studies
This project adapts an existing avatar-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) program into a mobile app called Living Free from Tobacco (LiFT) tailored for young adults. The team will run a small randomized trial with about 120 participants to compare the full LiFT program to a reduced version that only provides educational content. Outcomes include user satisfaction, number of app logins, psychological flexibility, and biochemically confirmed 7-day abstinence from commercial nicotine and tobacco products. The research will also look at whether a person’s initial readiness to quit changes how well the program works.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make quitting support more appealing and accessible to young adults and increase short-term quit rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous digital ACT programs (including the team’s Flexiquit) have shown promising early results, but tailored mobile interventions for diverse young adults remain relatively new and need more testing.
Where this research is happening
-
New Mexico State University Las Cruces
Las Cruces, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stimatze, Tamara — New Mexico State University Las Cruces
- Study coordinator: Stimatze, Tamara
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
PFAS in water from wastewater reuse and health risk
This project looks at how common PFAS chemicals are in water affected by downstream reuse of treated wastewater and what this could mean for people’s health.
-
Linking mosquito metabolism and genome regulation to fight malaria in Anopheles stephensi
A research project will explore how metabolism and gene regulation in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes affect their ability to carry malaria.
-
Outreach and Community Engagement Core for Cancer Research
A program that partners with communities in rural New Mexico and Washington to share cancer information, build local research capacity, and support data-driven actions to improve health.
-
Planning & Evaluation Core for a cancer research partnership
A core funded by NIH helps two major cancer centers track and improve how their joint cancer research partnership works for patients and communities.
-
Administrative Core for Cancer Research Partnership
A core administrative grant supports a cross-institution cancer research and education partnership between New Mexico State University and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center to coordinate programs, budgets, and outreach.
-
Partnership to Advance Cancer Research at NMSU and Fred Hutch
A joint, long-term cancer research effort between New Mexico State University and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center aims to expand cancer research, education, and community engagement to improve prevention, treatment, and survivorship.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.