The Principal Investigator
Thomas Eissenberg, Ph.D.
Professor and Director of the Clinical Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory
Department of Psychology and Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies
Contact information
Phone: (804) 827-4617
E-mail: teissenb@vcu.edu
Education
Ph.D. (1994), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Program affiliation
Biopsychology, Health Psychology
Research interests
My primary area of research is the behavioral pharmacology of drugs of abuse, focusing primarily on nicotine/tobacco. My current work, funded by the U.S. NIH, involves 1) developing laboratory methods to evaluate potential reduced exposure products (PREPs) for tobacco users, and 2) understanding the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and effects of waterpipe tobacco smoking. In addition, I try to promote the responsible conduct of research, particularly with regard to interactions between local Investigational Review Boards (IRBs) and behavioral scientists. I have served on VCU’s IRB since August 2000, and on VCU’s Conflict of Interest committee since 2003. I recently chaired the American Psychological Association’s Presidential Task Force on IRBs and Psychological Science, and am currently a member of the American Psychological Association’s Committee to Advance Research and the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco’s Policy Committee.