Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Nana Kofi Kusi-Boadum, a Ph.D. candidate in the at The , was awarded a prestigious American Heart Association predoctoral fellowship to support
his research project exploring the nervous system鈥檚 role in nicotine addiction.
鈥淎 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,鈥� 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鈥檚 project explores the interoceptive actions of ganglion stimulants and nicotine reward and could lead to new treatments to help smokers quit.
鈥淢y goal is to find new targets for treatments,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 considering the role the autonomic system plays in acting as a cue for the central effects of nicotine.鈥�
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.
鈥淢y motivation for researching nicotine addiction stems from challenging my initial bias on smoking and observing the struggles of addiction,鈥� Kusi-Boadum said. 鈥淎s I started viewing it through different lenses, my commitment to contribute intensified daily.鈥�
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.
鈥淩eceiving this award from the AHA is an honor and a source of reassurance. I鈥檓 eternally grateful to my mentors, my committee and UNTHSC鈥檚 grants office,鈥� Kusi-Boadum said. 鈥淭hey have been available round the clock, guiding me through this meaningful journey.鈥�
From - Our People by Matt Havlik