CoEHAR is proud to announce that Dr. Rossella Cannarella has been awarded one of the prestigious Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarships (THRSP) — an international program supporting early-career researchers engaged in independent scientific research on tobacco harm reduction.
The scholarship will support Dr. Cannarella’s project entitled: “Tobacco Harm Reduction in People with Metabolic Syndrome: Reducing Cardiovascular Risk through Safer Nicotine Alternatives”.
A targeted approach to cardiovascular risk
Smoking remains a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease — particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, but many high-risk patients struggle to quit due to nicotine dependence, despite being fully aware of the risks.
Dr. Cannarella’s research will explore the role of safer nicotine products (SNPs) — including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches — as pragmatic harm reduction tools in patients with metabolic syndrome. The project combines structured patient education, healthcare provider training, clinical monitoring of metabolic and cardiovascular markers, development of scalable educational materials. The aim is not to replace cessation, but to bridge the gap between ideal recommendations and real-world patient behavior — particularly in populations where repeated quit attempts often fail.
By integrating tobacco harm reduction strategies into cardiovascular and diabetes care pathways, the project seeks to generate measurable improvements in smoking behavior, HbA1c, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and overall cardiovascular risk. Through workshops, digital tools, and scientific dissemination, the initiative aims to create models that can be replicated nationally and internationally.
About Dr. Rossella Cannarella
Dr. Rossella Cannarella, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist and research fellow at the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, and a member of CoEHAR.
Her clinical and research expertise lies at the intersection of endocrinology, metabolic disease, and cardiometabolic risk. She has authored more than 270 peer-reviewed publications, with a strong focus on metabolic health, reproductive endocrinology, and translational medicine. Dr. Cannarella has received multiple international awards and research grants, including competitive funding from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Currently, she is Chair of the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Endocrine Society, member of the Steering Committee of the Men’s Heath SIG and of the Special Program Committee of the same society, and member of the Technical Health Committee (Research section) of the Italian Ministry of Health.
