Research Staff

Person holding a button that shows a red line crossing through a smoking cigarette.

Affiliated Faculty & Staff

Matthew J. Carpenter, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
68 President Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2436
843-876-2344 Fax
carpente@musc.edu 

K. Michael Cummings, Ph.D., MPH 
Professor
Co-leader Tobacco Research Program 
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
68 President Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2429
843-876-2344 Fax
cummingk@musc.edu

Jennifer Dahne, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
68 President Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2280
843-876-2344 Fax
dahne@musc.edu

Kevin M. Gray, M.D.
Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
125 Doughty Street
Charleston, SC 29403
843-792-6330
843-792-3982 Fax
graykm@musc.edu

Erin A. McClure, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
125 Doughty St.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-7192
mccluree@musc.edu

Georges El Nahas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
68 President Street, BEB 103-P
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2447
843-876-2344 Fax
elnahas@musc.edu 

Alana Rojewski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Associate Director, Tobacco Treatment Program
Tobacco Treatment Specialist
Department of Public Health Sciences
135 Cannon Street, 302K
MSC 835
Charleston, SC 29425-8350
843-876-1593
843-876-1126 Fax
rojewski@musc.edu 

Michael E. Saladin, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Health Sciences and Research
College of Health Professions
77 President Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-5306
843-792-1358 Fax
saladinm@musc.edu

Tracy Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Addiction Sciences Division
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Medical University of South Carolina
843-792-5164
smithtra@musc.edu

Benjamin A. Toll, Ph.D.
Professor
Chief of Tobacco Cessation and Health Behaviors 
Director, Tobacco Treatment Program
Co-Director, Lung Cancer Screening Program
Department of Public Health Sciences
135 Cannon Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-1132
843-876-1126 Fax
toll@musc.edu

Graham Warren, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Vice Chairman for Research in Radiation Oncology
Department of Radiation Oncology
169 Ashley Avenue
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2295
843-792-5498 Fax
warrengw@musc.edu

Dianne Wilson
Program Coordinator
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
68 President Street
Charleston, SC 29425
843-876-2437
843-876-2344 Fax
wilsoncd@musc.edu

Amanda M. Palmer, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Public Health Sciences
Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, & Sleep Medicine
palmeram@musc.edu

Nathaniel L. Baker, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Public Health Sciences
Phone: 843-792-5028
bakern@musc.edu

Rachel Tomko, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
843-792-5447
tomkno@musc.edu

Elizabeth S. Hawes
Program Assistant
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
hawese@musc.edu

Johanna Esther Hidalgo
Program Assistant
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
hidalgoj@musc.edu

Lisa L. Coles
Program Coordinator I
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Colesl@musc.edu

Amy S. Boatright
Program Coordinator II
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
boatrigh@musc.edu

Marian Chelsea Evangelista
Program Assistant
Phone: 843-509-7589

Rachel Christian
Program Assistant
Phone: 843-737-1516

Zivile Vebraite
Program Assistant
Phone: 843-637-0734

South Carolina Tobacco Research Group (SCTRIG)

Description: Tobacco research at MUSC is coordinated through a collaborative group of investigators within SC TRIG. Formed in December 2010, SC TRIG is an interest group composed of experts with research interests in nicotine dependence, smoking cessation, and tobacco control. Our long term working goal is to establish aCenter for Tobacco Research.

Mission: The central mission of SC TRIG is to establish and maintain an interdisciplinary, inter-institutional infrastructure for collaboration among researchers and practitioners from across South Carolina who conduct tobacco control research and interventions across the continuum of basic, clinical, and population sciences. The Center would serve as a resource for statewide tobacco control efforts, and would work in concert with existing state- and community-based partners (e.g., DHEC, SCCA, SCTC) toward innovating and disseminating science-based tobacco control policy and programs.

Schedule & Meeting Format: SC TRIG holds monthly research meetings, held the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., in Hollings Cancer Center Room 121 (AT&T conference room).

Meetings have conferencing capability for off-campus attendees and we encourage anyone with an interest in tobacco to attend. Monthly TRIG meetings are informal, but with the general purpose to share research, generate ideas, and build collaborations. Each TRIG meeting is led by one pre-determined presenter who will provide an overview of an ongoing/upcoming research project (Less than 30 minutes). Presentations are best if they are forward-focused; i.e., next steps. Presentations of upcoming grant ideas, even if tentative, are strongly encouraged. The remainder of the meeting (Greater than 30 minutes) are group-based brainstorming sessions.

How to Join: You may join in person or via teleconference line. Please contact Jen Dahne, Ph.D. (dahne@musc.edu / 843-876-2280) or Tracy Smith, Ph.D. (smithtra@musc.edu / 843-792-5164) for more information..

Studies

MUSC participates in a large number of smoking research studies. New trials are added on a routine basis and offer another option to individuals who are trying to quit smoking.

How to Join: Call 843-792-8300 to speak to a research professional about study opportunities available at MUSC.

SCresearch.org – The South Carolina Research Studies Directory designed specifically to help people locate research opportunities.