Jessica Oakes, Ph.D.

Electronic cigarettes are widely used by people who believe they are a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes. Yet their safety has not been scientifically proven. Nicotine and glycol, two main ingredients in e-cigarette aerosols, have been linked to disease. Therefore, it is crucial to determine if these ingredients have significant negative impact on human health. We will use computers to simulate the transport and deposition of e-cigarette aerosols in models of the human airways created from CT images. These simulations will provide answers to where and how much of the e-cigarette aerosols are retained in the various regions of the lung. Simulation results may be used in future toxicology studies that aim to relate e-cigarette concentration to airway disease.

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