Dr. Nguyen and team were awarded a TRDRP grant to develop an AI chatbot for dual vaping cessation
June 2026
Dr. Nguyen and the HEARTY Lab team have been awarded a two-year pilot grant from the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) to develop and evaluate an AI-powered chatbot designed to support cessation of both nicotine and cannabis vaping among young adults.
This innovative project aims to leverage advances in artificial intelligence to deliver accessible, personalized support for young adults seeking to reduce or quit dual vaping, a growing public health concern.
We are grateful to TRDRP for its continued support of the HEARTY Lab's research and our mission to develop evidence-based digital interventions that improve health outcomes for young people.
HEARTY lab partners with UC Berkeley Fung fellowship program to advance AI solutions for vaping cessation
May 2026
The HEARTY Lab was proud to serve as a partner organization for the UC Berkeley Fung Fellowship Program during Spring 2026. Over a 12-week period, Drs. Nhung Nguyen, Peter Washington, Arka Ghosh, and Dan Kabella mentored a multidisciplinary team of undergraduate students, Genesis Green, Nathan Sutherland, Elizabeth Wiley, and Daniel Geraci, as they developed a chatbot prototype designed to support vaping cessation among young adults.
Drawing on findings from our lab research, the team created a solution that addresses key barriers and facilitators to quitting vaping while providing personalized, real-time support when users need it most. The project demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence to translate behavioral science into accessible tools that promote healthier lifestyles. The team earned third place in the UCB program’s final competition and showcased their work through a poster presentation at UCSF AI Day.
We are honored to support the next generation of innovators and remain committed to mentoring students in developing technology-driven solutions to address pressing public health challenges.
Dr. Nguyen joins local women to empower youth in STEM careers
March 22, 2025
Dr. Nguyen was honored to join a distinguished panel of local women from diverse fields, including arts, engineering, law, science, government, and leadership coaching in the Women's History Month Careers Program at the Bay Farm Island Library on March 22, 2025. The panel aimed to inspire and empower young people as they explore future career paths. During the event, Dr. Nguyen shared her journey as a scientist, offering insights and encouragement to young girls aspiring to pursue their dreams in STEM and beyond.
Dr. Allison A. Temourian received the NIDA Diversity Scholars Travel Award
January 22, 2025
Dr. Allison A. Temourian, a postdoctoral fellow our HEARTY lab member received the 2025 NIDA Diversity Scholars Travel Award from the Office of Research Training, Diversity, and Disparities to present our research on cannabis use among US youth who use tobacco at the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT) 2025 conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Our research on tobacco and cannabis co-use was featured in the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital
September 17, 2024
We are excited to share that the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, has published an insightful summary of our research on the classification of co-use of tobacco and cannabis. Grateful for their efforts in helping to broaden the reach and impact of our work!
Read more here.
Dr. Nhung Nguyen delivered an impactful talk to community coalitions
July 10, 2024
Dr. Nguyen was invited by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) to give a talk in the Research into Action webinar —the bridge between scholarly research and day-to-day coalition efforts. She presented research on the potential impact of co-use of tobacco and cannabis use on mental health disorders and provided implications for efforts addressing the linkage between substance use and mental health to inform coalition work on substance use prevention and treatment.
Read more here.
Our lab published a paper in JAMA Open Network
July 3, 2024
Vuong Do, our lab member and a postdoctoral fellow at the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education led a paper in JAMA Open Network. This paper found that co-use of tobacco and cannabis in youths is linked to almost twice the odds of reporting higher levels of externalizing problems compared with tobacco or cannabis use exclusively.
Read more about this paper:
Do VV, Ling PM, Chaffee BW, Nguyen N. Concurrent Use of Tobacco and Cannabis and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in US Youths. JAMA Network Open. 2024 Jul 1;7(7):e2419976. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.19976. PMID: 38958977; PMCID: PMC11222996
Dr. Nhung Nguyen has been selected as a RISE fellow
May 28, 2024
Dr. Nhung Nguyen was selected as one of nine fellows in the RISE cohort 11. Research in Implementation Science for Equity (RISE) is an all-expenses-paid training opportunity for junior faculty who are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. RISE is designed to train competitive scientists and enhance the diversity of the biomedical research workforce. Read more about RISE here.
Dr. Deanna Halliday received a travel award
March 4, 2024
Deanna Halliday, a postdoctoral fellow and our lab member just received the 2024 NIDA Diversity Scholars Travel award from the Office of Research Training, Diversity, and Disparities (ORTDD) to attend the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT) conference in Edinburgh.
Our research on tobacco and cannabis co-use and mental health was featured in news outlets
September 13, 2023
Dr. Nhung Nguyen's recent publication on the concurrent use of tobacco and cannabis and its impact on mental health was among the first to indicate the association between co-use of tobacco and cannabis with mental health issues. The most interesting is that using both tobacco and marijuana is associated with significantly higher odds for depression and anxiety. Findings highlighted the urgent need to integrate mental health support into treatment for tobacco and cannabis. The abstract of this work received the Outstanding Abstract Award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting 2023. This publication was featured in 49 news outlets, including US News & World Report and UCSF News.