UNTHSC student earns heart association fellowship for nicotine addiction research
Nana Kofi Kusi-Boadum, a Ph.D. candidate in the College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, was awarded a prestigious American Heart Association predoctoral fellowship to support his research project exploring the nervous system’s role in nicotine addiction.
“A lot of these people are seeking interventions, but every year, only eight out of 100 people who decide to give it up are successful without relapsing,” he said.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and a major cause of cardiovascular disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kusi-Boadum’s project explores the interoceptive actions of ganglion stimulants and nicotine reward and could lead to new treatments to help smokers quit.
“My goal is to find new targets for treatments,” he said. “I’m considering the role the autonomic system plays in acting as a cue for the central effects of nicotine.”
Kusi-Boadum is mentored by Dr. Michael Forster, Regents Professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, and Dr. Nathalie Sumien, interim chair of Pharmacology and Neuroscience. He is co-supervised by Forster and Dr. Tom Cunningham, a former research professor at UNTHSC. The predoctoral fellowship will support his research and training as he earns his doctorate in biomedical sciences at UNTHSC.
“My motivation for researching nicotine addiction stems from challenging my initial bias on smoking and observing the struggles of addiction,” Kusi-Boadum said. “As I started viewing it through different lenses, my commitment to contribute intensified daily.”
The American Heart Association grants predoctoral fellowships each year to enhance the research and clinical training of promising students pursuing careers aimed at improving global cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health.
“Receiving this award from the AHA is an honor and a source of reassurance. I’m eternally grateful to my mentors, my committee and UNTHSC’s grants office,” Kusi-Boadum said. “They have been available round the clock, guiding me through this meaningful journey.”
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