Scott J. Leischow, PhD

Scott J. Leischow, PhD,  is a professor at the University of Arizona in the colleges of Medicine and Public Health and is associate director of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Program at The University of Arizona Cancer Center. Before that, Dr. Leischow served as chief of the Tobacco Control Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and while at NCI, went on detail to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and served as senior advisor for tobacco policy. In that role, Dr. Leischow served as the Secretary's point person on tobacco.

While at NCI, Dr. Leischow received several awards, including the NIH Director's Award, NCI Directors Gold Star Award and the NCI Plain Language Award. Dr. Leischow also developed and led an effort at NCI which focused on systems thinking, network analysis and knowledge management approaches to help fashion new perspectives and approaches for improving tobacco control and public health. He was regularly asked to represent both NCI and NIH on tobacco control matters, including testifying before Congress on tobacco harm reduction. Most of Dr. Leischow’s research and publications focus on pharmacologic and behavioral treatments for tobacco dependence, along with systems approaches to public health.