Deborah J. Ossip

Deborah J. Ossip, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and affiliated with the Center for Community Health and Prevention at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh (1981), an MS in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh (1978), and a BA in Psychology & Sociology from the University of Miami (1975).

Her research focuses on translational behavioral medicine, particularly tobacco control, with a focus on secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure, community-based interventions in underrepresented populations, and global health. She co-directs the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Core and leads initiatives like the NYS-funded tobacco policy change program for low-income populations. She also serves as Site Director for the NIH-funded Center for Research on Flavored Tobacco (CRoFT).

Her work spans basic science (e.g., toxicology of emerging products), clinical trials (e.g., quitline effectiveness), and policy research (e.g., FDA flavor regulations). Notable contributions include co-founding the North American Quitline Consortium and leading global health studies in the Dominican Republic. She has received over 25 awards, including the SRNT Fellow designation and multiple excellence in research awards.

Dr. Ossip collaborates on multidisciplinary projects like the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program’s DEIA initiatives and the MundoComm training grant addressing maternal health in Latin America. Her publications (218+ articles) emphasize vaping prevention, smoking cessation disparities, and lung cancer screening equity.

Key achievements include developing culturally tailored interventions for Latino populations and advancing metrics like the 'reach ratio' to assess quitline equity. She also leads studies on pediatrician-delivered cessation assistance for parents and vaping prevention in youth.