Kelvin Choi, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Scientific Director
Acting Chief, Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch Investigator
Division of Intramural Research
tsz.choi@nih.gov
301-771-1643
Dr. Kelvin Choi is the scientific director for NIMHD’s Division of Intramural Research (DIR). He is the first tenure-track investigator at NIMHD recruited through the Earl Stadtman Program. Prior to joining NIMHD, Dr. Choi was an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, where he received his M.P.H. in community health education and Ph.D. in social and behavioral epidemiology. Dr. Choi was tenured and promoted to senior investigator in 2021.
As head of the Tobacco-Related Disparities and Control Lab within the Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch of NIMHD’s Division of Intramural Research, his research focuses on three objectives:
- Examine the interrelationship between social determinants and tobacco use in the U.S.
- Investigate factors that reduce or worsen tobacco use disparities, (e.g., tobacco marketing).
- Develop, evaluate, and forecast the impact of tobacco control intervention on tobacco use disparities.
Dr. Choi’s research is published in more than 130 peer-reviewed articles. He is a past co-chair and advisory committee member of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Health Equity Network, co-chair of the SRNT Racial Equity Task Force, and a California Tobacco Control Program Evaluation Task Force member.
In 2019, Dr. Choi received the SRNT’s Jarvik-Russell Early Career Award for his extraordinary contributions to nicotine and tobacco research. In 2021, he received the NIH Director’s Ruth L. Kirschstein Mentoring Award for exemplary performance while demonstrating significant leadership, skill, and ability. In 2022, Dr. Choi was named a SRNT Fellow for his significant contributions to the field of nicotine and tobacco research.
Additionally, he has been recognized as reviewer of the year by the journals Tobacco Control and Nicotine & Tobacco Research. He currently serves as an editorial advisory board member for Tobacco Control and a consulting editor for Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
Selected Publications
- Ajith, A., Temmen, C., Haynie, D., & Choi, K. (2022). Association between adolescent smoking and subsequent college completion by parent education - A national longitudinal study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 233, 109360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109360
- Chen-Sankey, J., Elhabashy, M., Ajith, A., Jewett, B., Hacker, K., Phan, L., & Choi, K. (2022). Correlates of behavior change intents in response to a hypothetical flavored cigar sales restriction among U.S. adult flavored cigar smokers. Preventive Medicine, 165(Pt B). https://doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107128
- Liu, T., Phan, L., Chen-Sankey, J., Ajith, A., Hacker, K., Jewett, B., & Choi, K. (2023). Race, concern about COVID-19 discrimination, and cigarette smoking behavior: Comparison between U.S. Asian and White adults who use commercial tobacco. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10(4), 1955-1961. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01377-5
- Phan, L., McNeel, T. S., Chen-Sankey, J., Niederdeppe, J., Tan, A. S. L., & Choi, K. (2022). U.S. Trends in age of cigar smoking initiation by race/ethnicity and education. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 63(4), 624-629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.04.004
- Chen-Sankey, J., Jeong, M., Wackowski, O. A., Unger, J. B., Niederdeppe, J., Bernat, E., Bansal-Travers, M., Moran, M., Kennedy, R. D., Broun, A., Hacker, K., & Choi, K. (2023). Noticing people, discounts and non-tobacco flavours in e-cigarette ads may increase e-cigarette product appeal among non-tobacco-using young adults. Tobacco Control, 33(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2022-057269
Page updated Nov. 15, 2024
