Research Enhancement Office

The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program of California (TRDRP) administers the portion of state retail taxes on tobacco products that are designated for research within California. This unique source of funding supports investigators at eligible California institutions whose research contributes directly to the elimination of smoking and tobacco use and mitigates its human and economic costs in California. 

All applications received for the 2025 Call for Applications must clearly address either tobacco use prevention, nicotine addiction, tobacco cessation, environmental exposure and toxicology, state and local policy, or  tobacco-related disease. Biomedical studies should focus on diseases that are causally linked to tobacco use or on studies that can discern and reduce tobacco-related health disparities.

2025 Call for Applications Grant Award Types:

Please see the program "Awards Mechanisms" page for more information regarding the details of each program.

• Research Award: Conduct research based on preliminary data that will achieve or advance work within one or more stated research priorities.
• Pilot Award: Gather preliminary data or demonstrate proof-of-principle with potential for high impact within one or more stated research priorities.
• New Investigator Award: Support and enable new investigators to initiate an independent research program with potential for high impact within one or more stated research priorities.
• Postdoctoral Award: Support postdoctoral research training under a designated mentor to conduct high impact research within one or more stated research priorities. 
• Predoctoral Award: Support doctoral student research training with a designated mentor within one or more stated research priorities.
• Community Partnered Participatory Research Pilot Award: Support development of an equitable community and academic research partnership to conduct pilot research that gathers preliminary data or address a research question on a tobacco-related issue of importance to a community/school in California.
• Community Partnered Participatory Research Full Award: Support an existing, equitable community and academic research partnership to conduct follow-on research that builds on preliminary data, addresses a research question on a tobacco-related health issue of importance to a community in California, and leads to a sustainable tobacco prevention or treatment intervention.
• Tobacco Policy Research Center: Supports multi-disciplinary collaborative tobacco policy research centers working in partnership with advocates, community members, policymakers and other key stakeholders to identify, respond and disseminate policy research that directly addresses local and state tobacco policy issues and their potential bi-directional impact on national policy.

Award Supplements: 

Please see the program "Awards Mechanisms" page for more information regarding the details of each program.

• Cornelius Hopper Diversity Award Supplement: Train promising individuals from underrepresented communities and/or those who wish to pursue careers in one or more stated research priorities focused on underserved communities. Supplements are funded above the award mechanism cap.
• Student Research Supplement: Allow active research training and participation by undergraduate and Master’s degree students under the mentorship of a currently-funded TRDRP PI of a non-training award. Supplements are funded above the award mechanism cap.

Submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) is required for all award types. 

• LOIs will be programmatically reviewed to ensure eligibility and applicants will be notified whether they are eligible to submit a full application within 10 days of the LOI deadline. 

Go to Application Homepage