Dr. El Hellani is an Organic/Analytical chemist tha­t went from fundamental organometallic chemistry research to being interested in the assessment of human exposure to toxicants from various sources, especially tobacco products. He studies tobacco emissions in a controlled analytical lab setting using smoking machines, in a clinical lab setting using real-time sampling devices, and in a chamber lab setting for the assessment of secondhand emissions. His work could be the first line of toxicity assessment of tobacco emissions that may inform in vitro, in vivo (animal models), and biomarker of exposure and biomarker of potential harm studies. His work is interdisciplinary by nature, and benefits from collaboration with colleagues with a broad range of backgrounds in environmental sciences, toxicology, engineering, psychology, behavioral science, epidemiology, and medicine.

Dr. El Hellani recently received funding ($1.4 million) from the NIH National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to validate "Nicotine Flux" (i.e. rate of nicotine emission) as a potentially powerful tool for regulating nicotine delivery from e-cigarettes. This project utilizes cross-disciplinary analytical and clinical lab methods to test the relevance of nicotine flux to nicotine delivery. The project seeks to answer a long-open question about the impact of the freebase/protonated nicotine ratio on the drug delivery profile and subjective effects. A better understanding of nicotine delivery, and hence addiction potential, of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, can provide much-needed evidence to develop regulations that help mitigate risk from tobacco products.

He will be involved in developing and presenting modules in courses such as environmental health, occupational health, environmental exposure monitoring methods, toxicology, and environmental molecular techniques. In addition, he will assist in developing applicable exposure science minor and certificate programs and a course in environmental analytical techniques.