This series features the Consortium’s newly funded projects, which engage in groundbreaking research about the nature and health consequences of thirdhand smoke. Thirdhand smoke is the chemical residue that is left behind on clothes, skin, furniture, walls, and other surfaces after someone smokes. This research is supported by the Consortium’s four core facilities. In this installment, we feature the core facilities of Dr. Suzaynn Schick from the University of California, San Francisco and Dr. Georg Matt from San Diego State University.
Thirdhand Smoke-Exposed Material Generation Core
Dr. Suzaynn Schick
University of California, San Francisco
This core facility, led by Dr. Schick from the University of California, San Francisco, provides Consortium researchers with secondhand and thirdhand smoke material samples created under controlled exposure conditions. In addition, the facility also provides biological samples from controlled human exposures to second- and thirdhand smoke. Controlled exposure experiments allow researchers to gain valuable insight into physiological responses to thirdhand smoke exposure.
When asked how her core would contribute to the Tobacco Endgame, Dr. Schick said “This facility is one of the only laboratories in the world that offers controlled second- and thirdhand smoke exposure conditions for scientists. Generating well-characterized thirdhand smoke samples is crucial to unravel how thirdhand smoke causes harm.”
Read full Core description here.
Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center Core
Dr. Georg Matt
San Diego State University
The Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center, led by Dr. Matt from San Diego State University, is the outreach, dissemination, and resource hub for the Consortium. The Resource Center (1) raises awareness about thirdhand smoke; (2) translates and disseminates research findings to the general public and stakeholders in health care, education, business, tobacco control, and government; (3) offers resources to the general public and stakeholders to examine thirdhand smoke pollution; and (4) collaborates with stakeholders to inform and help develop effective policies to eliminate human exposure. The Center website (thirdhandsmoke.org) offers resources about thirdhand smoke for different audiences, including FAQs in seven languages, fact sheets, infographics, a social media toolkit, archived webinars, and a research collection.
When asked how his core would contribute to the Tobacco Endgame, Dr. Matt said “Tobacco smoke leaves behind a toxic legacy that can linger for years after smoking ended and is expensive to clean up. Over the next three years, we will work toward expanding smokefree policies to fully protect people from the risks of thirdhand smoke.”
Read full Core description here.
