Pamela Ling

Pamela Ling is a Professor and Director of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, as well as Principal Investigator for the UCSF FDA Tobacco Center of Excellence on Regulatory Science (TCORS). Her cancer-related research focuses on preventing tobacco-related cancer through counter-marketing strategies, behavioral interventions, and regulatory science. She has served as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded grants since 2009, addressing adolescent vaping, tobacco industry tactics, and health disparities.

• Education
  • Harvard & Radcliffe Colleges (A.B., 1990) - History and Science
  • UCSF School of Medicine (M.D., 1996) - Medicine
  • UC Berkeley School of Public Health (M.P.H., 2000) - Interdisciplinary Public Health
  • UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1999-2002) - Media Interventions, Social Marketing

Ling's work examines tobacco marketing strategies targeting vulnerable populations, social media's role in cessation programs, and cannabis-tobacco co-use patterns. Her research integrates behavioral science, epidemiology, and policy analysis to address health disparities and improve regulatory frameworks.

Notable scientific awards include:

• National Merit Scholar (1986)
• Phi Beta Kappa (1990)
• Stewart Trust Research Award (2005)
• Robert H Crede Award (2015)
• John Ziegler Mentoring Award Nominee (2021)
• Hal Luft Mentoring Award (2021)

She has mentored over 100 postdoctoral fellows and students across disciplines like social science, clinical medicine, and health education, while securing continuous NIH funding for tobacco control initiatives.