# CORE D: BIOMARKER CORE

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $251,562

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Exposure assessment is necessary for evaluating the health effects of tobacco use. Measuring exposure to
toxic and addictive substances is important for achieving the integrative theme of this TCORS, that
understanding combined health effects, behavior, and impact analysis will provide actionable information
for regulation of and public communications about current and emerging tobacco products The Biomarker Core
will contribute to this goal through three specific aims: (1) Provide analytical chemistry support for UCSF
TCORS investigators; (2) Continue and expand cross-TCORS collaborations by making available state-of-the-
art analytical methods to foster such collaborations; (3) Develop new biomarkers of exposure to tobacco
products. The Biomarker Core will identify new biomarkers of exposure and potential harm for new and
emerging tobacco products, in particular e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn (HNB) products. The Biomarker Core
will support studies carried out by TCORS investigators by analysis of biofluid samples for biomarkers of
exposure and potential harm (Projects 1-4), and by analyzing tobacco products (e-cigarettes and HNB
products) and their aerosols (Projects 1-3) for harmful and potentially harmful chemicals (HPHCs). Dr. Jacob
and his senior laboratory staff have more than 30 years' experience in supporting large-scale studies and
developing new biomarkers and analytical methods. The Biomarker Core laboratory will measure tobacco
alkaloids and a wide range of toxic substances and other components of interest in both products and their
aerosols. The core will assist the investigators of Projects 1, 2, and 3 in implementing protocols that will
generate aerosols for chemical analysis and for delivery to in vitro systems and animals for toxicology studies.
The analytical methods employed by the Biomarker Core are mostly chromatographic–mass spectrometric
(GC-MS and LC-MS/MS) performed on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers, generally considered the gold
standard for quantitative analysis of complex biological samples. As in our current TCORS, the Biomarker Core
also expects to use its methods in collaborations with other TCORS beyond UCSF. Providing state-of-the-art
exposure assessment to the individual projects, developing improved exposure assessment measures, and
identifying substances in new and emerging tobacco products and their aerosols that lead to toxic substance
exposure could contribute to the development of product standards for potential reduced risk products, as well
as advance the field of tobacco exposure assessment in general.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999026
- **Project number:** 5U54HL147127-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Peyton Jacob
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $251,562
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-09-19 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999026

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999026, CORE D: BIOMARKER CORE (5U54HL147127-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999026. Licensed CC0.

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