How vaping changes newer nicotine chemicals in e-cigarettes
Official title: Effects of vaping-induced oxidation on nicotine analogs e-cigarettes
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11309690 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how using flavored e-cigarettes can change newer forms of nicotine, like 6‑methyl nicotine, and what that might mean for teens and young adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $151,885 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA062849-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309690 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The work is most relevant to adolescents and young adults who use or are exposed to e-cigarettes, especially those using flavored or disposable devices.
✕Less likely to help
People who never vape or are not exposed to e-cigarette aerosols are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you vape or are worried about youth vaping, researchers will recreate common e-cigarette use in the lab to turn e-liquids into aerosols and then measure what new chemicals form. They will compare standard nicotine and 6‑methyl nicotine formulations to see whether harmful compounds increase when heated and aerosolized. Lab tests will examine how those aerosols interact with nicotine receptors and whether they cause toxic effects in cellular models. The goal is to link the chemical changes from vaping devices to potential health risks for adolescents and young adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could help regulators, clinicians, and the public understand which e-cigarette products pose higher risks and guide efforts to reduce youth harm.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab studies have shown some nicotine analogs like 6‑methyl nicotine can be more activating or toxic than nicotine, but aerosol-specific chemical and toxicity data remain limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Corteselli, Elizabeth Marie — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Corteselli, Elizabeth Marie
Related research
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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.