Smoking and vaping: HABIT Expert Group on nicotine product evidence
Overview
This group was established in January 2026 to bring together a broad range of academic and research expertise on nicotine product evidence, ranging from behavioural insights to biomarkers, and from smoke-free spaces to regulatory registers.
The experts in the group are involved in the following activities:
- providing ad hoc expert advice
- sharing, presenting and/or discussing their research (including unpublished work)
- helping address knowledge gaps
- bringing critical perspectives to analytical work and policy discussions
- peer-reviewing Scottish Government outputs
- supporting evaluation work for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
- gaining insight into Scottish Government research priorities and using this to shape their own research or guide student projects
The group meets every six months.
Members
- Prof Linda Bauld, Scottish Government
- Dr Serena Di Genova, Scottish Government
- Fiona Dill, Scottish Government
- Dr Neil Gibson, British Paediatric Respiratory Society
- Prof Subhash Pokhrel, Brunel University of London
- Dr Duncan Gillespie, The University of Sheffield
- Dr Zoe Swithenbank, Lancaster University
- Dr Manu Savani, Brunel University of London
- Prof Francesco Moscone, Brunel University of London
- Dr Ivan Gee, Liverpool John Moores University
- Dr Tessa Langley, University of Nottingham
- Dr Ivan Markovic, Durham University
- Dr Raouf Alebshehy, University of Bath
- Prof Milica Vasiljevic, Durham University
- Dr Emma Brown, Lancaster University
- Dr Jasmine Khouja, University of Bath
- Dr Ross Langley, NHS GG and C
- Dr Kenneth Macleod, NHS Lothian
- Prof Rachel Isba, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Scott Hogg, NHS Scotland/ ASH Scotland
- Prof Andrew Russell, Durham University
- Ruth Dale, Hidden Voices Heard
- Dr Marissa Smith, University of Glasgow
- Prof Sean Semple, University of Stirling
- Prof Jacob George, University of Dundee
- Prof Alberto Fiore, Abertay University
- Prof Ahsan Akram, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Effie Marathia, University of Stirling
- Prof Riccardo Marioni, University of Edinburgh
- Prof Michael Ussher, University of Stirling
- Prof Niamh Shortt, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Allison Ford, University of Stirling
- Anne Marie MacKintosh, University of Stirling
- Prof Christopher Lucas, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Purva Abhyankar, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Fiona Dobbie, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Valerio Restocchi, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Marisa de Andrade, University of Edinburgh
- Prof Simon Cox, University of Edinburgh
- Dr Sreekanth Thekkumkara, University of Dundee
- Prof Grant McIntyre, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- Prof Ivor Chestnutt, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- Robert Tempelaar, ASH Scotland
- Dr Hala Alaouie, University of Bath
- Dr Garth Reid, Public Health Scotland
- Dr Paul Kavanagh, Health Service Executive and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- Dr Blair Saunders, University of Dundee
- Andy MacGregor, Scottish Centre for Social Research