Peter Hajek

Professor Peter Hajek is a leading academic in clinical psychology and public health at Queen Mary University of London's Wolfson Institute of Population Health. He directs the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit, focusing on tobacco dependence, weight management, and health behavior modification. His work has globally influenced smoking cessation policies, including the UK’s Specialist Stop Smoking Services. Current research explores e-cigarette safety/efficacy, nicotine product substitution, and scalable weight management strategies.

Key projects include multi-million pound studies funded by CRUK, NIHR, and international bodies. Notable studies examine e-cigarette impacts on homeless populations, pregnancy outcomes, and smoking cessation efficacy compared to varenicline. Hajek also leads community clinics providing stop-smoking and weight management services, integrating teaching on addiction and medical psychology across Queen Mary's medical curriculum.

His research portfolio includes £2.2M NIHR grants for COPD vaping studies and £1.6M NIHR funds for homeless-centered cessation trials. Over 200 publications span Cochrane reviews, randomized controlled trials, and policy-informing analyses. Hajek collaborates internationally on editorial boards and expert groups, emphasizing evidence-based harm reduction strategies for nicotine use.