Research Summary

Dr. Nguyen is a substance use researcher whose research program focuses on reducing the use of tobacco and cannabis and related health disparities among priority populations (e.g., youth and young adults, sexual minorities, and people with substance use disorders). Dr. Nguyen has employed a variety of research methods (e.g., human-centered design, ecological momentary assessment, and mixed methods) to address important issues in tobacco and cannabis use. Her current projects are applying mobile health technology, machine learning, and implementation science to develop smartphone interventions targeting vaping cessation and co-use of tobacco and cannabis among young people.

Dr. Nguyen founded and leads the smartphone-based research lab on tobacco and substance use for health equity - the HEARTY lab (https://heartylab.ucsf.edu). Her lab's mission is to provide actionable insights and novel solutions to reduce substance use, promote public well-being, and advance health equity.

Research Funding

  • February 15, 2024 - January 31, 2029 - Developing a smartphone-based intervention targeting high-risk situations of nicotine vaping among young adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH/NIDA, Sponsor Award ID: K01DA056693
  • August 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025 - Real-time predictors of nicotine and cannabis vaping among young adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program - New Investigator Award, Sponsor Award ID: T32KT5071
  • July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 - Developing a smartphone-based tobacco cessation intervention for young adults who use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF RAP-CTSI Pilot Award, Sponsor Award ID: UL1 TR001872-06
  • July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2023 - Tobacco and cannabis co-use among young adults: A multi-method analytic approach , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program - Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Sponsor Award ID: T31FT1564
  • September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2021 - Impact of new e-cigarette devices and harm perception on tobacco use behavior among young adults , Leader of Rapid Response Project . Sponsor: UCSF Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Sponsor Award ID: U54HL147127

Education

2023 - Innovations for Substance Use Disorders, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
2022 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California, San Francisco
2021 - mHealth Training Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
PhD, 2014 - Epidemiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
BS, 2008 - Pharmacy, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Vietnam

Honors & Awards

  • Hellman Fellowship, Hellman Fellows Program, 2024-2026
  • Research in Implementation Science for Equity (RISE) Fellowship, NHLBI’s Program to Increase Diversity among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research, 2024
  • Diversity Institute for Emerging Leaders, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2024
  • Outstanding Abstract Award, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2023
  • Emerging Health Equity Scholar Award, UCSF Multiethnic Health Equity Research Center, 2023
  • NIDA Diversity Scholars Network Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2021
  • Meritorious Abstract Award, Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2021
  • T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Cancer Institute, 2018-2020
  • International Fellowship, American Association of University Women, 2012
  • Predoctoral Fellowship, Vietnam Education Foundation, 2010-2012

Selected Publications

  1. Nguyen N, Keyhani S, Marcus GM, Do VV, Halliday DM, Herbst ED, Ling PM. Vaping nicotine and cannabis on the same occasion is linked to increased vaping consumption among young adults: A smartphone-based daily diary study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Jan 01; 266:112517.  View on PubMed
  2. Nguyen N, Leonard S, Cohen BE, Herbst ED, Hoggatt KJ, Keyhani S. Receipt of Smoking Cessation Medications and Smoking Abstinence Among Veterans Prescribed Opioid Analgesics With and Without Cannabis Use. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Nov 11.  View on PubMed
  3. Pravosud V, Glantz S, Keyhani S, Ling PM, Lempert LK, Hoggatt KJ, Hasin D, Nguyen N, Graham FJL, Cohen BE. Cannabis legalization and changes in cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use and co-use in a national cohort of U.S. adults during 2017-2021. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Dec; 134:104618.  View on PubMed
  4. Graham FJL, Keyhani S, Ling P, Pravosud V, Nguyen N, Hasin D, Cohen BE. Changes in Sources of Information about the Risks and Benefits of Cannabis in a National Cohort of US Adults from 2017 - 2021. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2024 Oct 23.  View on PubMed
  5. Nguyen N, Koester KA, Tran C, Ling PM. Desires and Needs for Quitting Both e-Cigarettes and Cigarettes Among Young Adults: Formative Qualitative Study Informing the Development of a Smartphone Intervention for Dual Tobacco Cessation. JMIR Form Res. 2024 Oct 22; 8:e63156.  View on PubMed
  6. Nguyen N, Koester KA, Kim M, Watkins SL, Ling PM. "I'm both smoking and vaping": a longitudinal qualitative study of US young adults who tried to quit smoking cigarettes by using electronic cigarettes. Tob Control. 2024 Sep 25; 33(5):596-602.  View on PubMed
  7. Nguyen N, Bold KW, McClure EA. Urgent need for treatment addressing co-use of tobacco and cannabis: An updated review and considerations for future interventions. Addict Behav. 2024 Nov; 158:108118.  View on PubMed
  8. McQuoid J, Regan T, Devkota J, Cheney MK, Kumar V, Oehlers J, Lopez-Paguyo K, Nguyen N, Meacham MC, Ling PM, Thrul J. Situations and roles of cannabis versus cigarette use: Integrating ecological momentary assessment with qualitative mapping interviews. Health Place. 2024 Sep; 89:103314.  View on PubMed
  9. Do VV, Ling PM, Chaffee BW, Nguyen N. Concurrent Use of Tobacco and Cannabis and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in US Youths. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 07 01; 7(7):e2419976.  View on PubMed
  10. Waring JJC, Nguyen N, Ling PM, Thrul J. Quantity of cigarettes smoked when co-used with alcohol and cannabis: Consideration of different definitions of co-use based on daily diary data. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024 May 01; 258:111264.  View on PubMed
  11. Glantz SA, Nguyen N, Oliveira da Silva AL. Population-Based Disease Odds for E-Cigarettes and Dual Use versus Cigarettes. NEJM Evid. 2024 Mar; 3(3):EVIDoa2300229.  View on PubMed
  12. Lyu JC, Meacham MC, Nguyen N, Ramo D, Ling PM. Factors Associated With Abstinence Among Young Adult Smokers Enrolled in a Real-world Social Media Smoking Cessation Program. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 Feb 15; 26(Supplement_1):S27-S35.  View on PubMed
  13. Nguyen N, Islam S, Llanes KD, Koester KA, Ling PM. Classification of patterns of tobacco and cannabis co-use based on temporal proximity: A qualitative study among young adults. Addict Behav. 2024 05; 152:107971.  View on PubMed
  14. Nguyen N, Peyser ND, Olgin JE, Pletcher MJ, Beatty AL, Modrow MF, Carton TW, Khatib R, Djibo DA, Ling PM, Marcus GM. Associations between tobacco and cannabis use and anxiety and depression among adults in the United States: Findings from the COVID-19 citizen science study. PLoS One. 2023; 18(9):e0289058.  View on PubMed
  15. Chambers J, Keyhani S, Ling PM, Hoggatt KJ, Hasin D, Nguyen N, Woods A, Ryder A, Cohen BE. Perceptions of Safety of Daily Cannabis vs Tobacco Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure, 2017-2021. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 08 01; 6(8):e2328691.  View on PubMed
  16. Nguyen N, Holmes LM, Pravosud V, Cohen BE, Ling PM. Changes in perceived harms of tobacco and cannabis and their correlations with use: A panel study of young adults 2014-2020. Addict Behav. 2023 09; 144:107758.  View on PubMed
  17. Nguyen N, Thrul J, Neilands TB, Ling PM. Associations Between Product Type and Intensity of Tobacco and Cannabis Co-use on the Same Day Among Young Adult Smokers: Smartphone-Based Daily-Diary Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2023 02 20; 11:e40736.  View on PubMed
  18. Nguyen N, Wong M, Delucchi K, Halpern-Felsher B. Adolescents' and young adults' perceptions of risks and benefits differ by type of cannabis products. Addict Behav. 2022 08; 131:107336.  View on PubMed
  19. Nguyen N, Keyhani S, Ling PM, Hoggatt KJ, Hasin D, Cohen BE. Self-reported Changes in Cannabis Use Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic among US Adults. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2022 Sep-Oct; 54(4):295-299.  View on PubMed
  20. Nguyen N, Mathur Gaiha S, Halpern-Felsher B. Self-reported changes in cannabis vaping among US adolescents and young adults early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Prev Med Rep. 2021 Dec; 24:101654.  View on PubMed

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