Research Faculty

Health Promotion Research Center
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
655 Research Parkway, Suite 400
Oklahoma City, OK  73104

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Academic Section(s):

OUFMC Research Division

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Education:

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology (APA Accredited; 2003-2007)

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Internship in Clinical Psychology (APA Accredited; 2006-2007)

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (2003)

The University of Mississippi Medical Center & G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Jackson, MS
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (2001-2003)

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Experimental Psychology Masters Student (1999-2001)

University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, LA
Bachelor of Science (1992-1996)

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Fellowship:

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention Research (2007-2009)

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Clinical/Research Interests:

• Development of Novel Tobacco Cessation Interventions for Underserved/Disadvantaged Populations (e.g., Homeless Adults, Uninsured)
• Using Technology to Identify Antecedents of Health Risk Behaviors
• Technology Supported Health Behavior Change Interventions

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Funding:

CURRENT RESEARCH SUPPORT

Principal Investigator

1. R01MD019957 (MPIs: Businelle, Garey)
09/23/2024 – 06/30/2029
National Test of a Culturally Tailored mHealth Integrated Smoking Cessation and Mental Health Intervention for Black Adults with HIV
This study will test an innovative smoking cesation application for Black adults with HIV.
Total: $4,751,918

2. R34CA286803 (MPIs: Businelle, Garey, Sayette)
09/11/2024 – 08/31/2027
NIH/NCI                                            
An Innovative Digitally-Delivered Olfactory Method for Reducing Cigarette Cravings and Supporting Smoking Cessation
This study will test a first of its kind ofactory delivery device that aims to reduce nicotine cravings in adults attempting to quit smoking.
Total: $900,000

3. R01AA030276 (PIs: Businelle, Oliver, & Walters)
08/20/2024 – 04/30/2029
NIH/NIAAA                                       
Efficacy of a Smartphone-Based Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention to Reduce Drinking Among Adults Experiencing Homelessness
This study will provide a rigorous efficacy test of the Smart-T alcohol app which is specifically designed to reduce drinking in adults experiencing homelessness.
Total: $3,264,979

4. R01MH126586 (MPIs: Businelle & Zvolensky)
05/01/2021 – 03/31/2025
NIH/NIMH         
NCE start 05/01/2024
Mobile Health to Monitor Risk for COVID-19 and Improve Mental Health during the Pandemic
Evaluate the efficacy of the Easing Anxiety Sensitivity for Everyone (EASE) app (N=800) which includes COVID-19 symptom monitoring and intervention and targets anxiety sensitivity, a transdiagnostic individual difference factor implicated in the etiology, maintenance, and progression of anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Total: $2,679,216

5. R01CA221819 (PI: Businelle)
02/01/2019 – 01/31/2025
NIH/NCI (Clinical Trials#: NCT03740490)                           
NCE start 02/01/2024
Smartphone Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adults
This study (N=454) will compare the longer-term effects of the Smart-T smoking cessation app with the free and publically available NCI QuitGuide smoking cessation app (Aim 1). The second aim will determine if Smart-T messages that are tailored to address key smoking lapse risk variables in real-time (i.e., urge, stress, cigarette availability, cessation motivation) reduce participant ratings of these lapse risk variables compared with similar situations that do not receive this tailored content (QuitGuide group).
Direct & Indirect: $2,804,785 (Direct: $1,957,142)            

6. TSET STCST00400_FY24 (PIs: Businelle & Kendzor)
07/01/2023 – 06/30/2026
Health Promotion Research Center
This grant funds the Health Promotion Research Center that Drs. Businelle and Kendzor co-direct.
Total: $15,150,000 (Direct: $13,772,727)

7. U54MD015946 (PI: Obasi; Project MPIs: Businelle & Zvolensky)
09/01/2020 – 04/30/2025
NIH/NIMHD (Clinical Trials#: NCT04838236)
Overall grant title: HEALTH Center for Addictions Research and Cancer Prevention
Core Project title: Improving access to cigarette cessation treatment among African American smokers: Development and evaluation of an integrated mHealth application
We will refine and evaluate an initially developed and tested, novel, mobile intervention that targets sensitivity to bodily sensations among African American smokers and bridges the gap in access to care which has plagued this health disparities population.
Total: $11,848,265 (Direct: $8,031,234) OUHSC subaward (Total: $777,752; Direct: $536,380)

8. U54MD015946 Supp (PI: Obasi; Project MPIs: Businelle & Garey)
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2025
NIH/NIMHD
A Fully Automated and Culturally-Adapted mHealth Intervention for Smoking Cessation Among Black Smokers with HIV
We will adapt our already developed and preliminarily tested, culturally adapted, mHealth smoking cessation intervention for Black smokers (MASP) to incorporate HIV disease management skills that are uniquely applicable to Black adults with HIV (MASP+).
Total: $1,271,869 (Direct: $1,051,967; OUHSC Total: $440,812)

9. OUHSC Pilot Funds (PIs: Businelle & Alexander; NCT04887558)
08/01/2021 – 07/31/2025
Smart-T Mental Health
This pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility of an innovative, evidence-based smoking cessation app tailored for smokers with serious mental illness (SMI). Seventy-five smokers with SMI will be randomly assigned to receive either (1) the NCI QuitGuide app, (2) a smoking cessation app that tracks and automatically intervenes upon psychological distress during a quit attempt and delivers real-time intervention messages tailored to the current level of lapse risk and current lapse triggers (Smart-T Mental Health; STMH), or (3) the STMH app with additional messaging focused on increasing adherence to nicotine replacement medications (STMH+).

10. TSET Pilot Funds (PI: Businelle)
05/15/2022 – 12/30/2025
OKquit – Testing a Novel Smartphone Application for Smoking Cessation with the Oklahoma Helpline
This study (N=500) is a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of an innovative, evidence-based smoking cessation app tailored for smokers that contact the OTH for services.
Direct: $300,531        

Co-Investigator

11. U01CA294811 (MPIs: Bui, Vidrine, & Xangsayarath)
08/12/2024 – 07/31/2029
NIH/NCI
Implementing Sustainable mobile health Technology to Optimize smoking cessation Program for Lao people with HIV (I-STOP)
The purpose of this study is to compare 2 smoking cessation implementation strategies in 8 antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics in the 5 most populous provinces/regions across Laos, using a hybrid type-2 pragmatic effectiveness-implementation study and a parallel cluster randomized trial design. Specifically, we will compare an Ask-Advice-Connect (AAC) approach paired with our previously developed mHealth automated tobacco treatment program to an AAC approach paired with less resource intensive printed self-help material.
Total: $3,187,275 (Direct: $2,720,795)

12. R01NR020997 (PI: Santa Maria)
09/21/2023 – 08/31/2027
NIH/NINR                                                             
Examining the Efficacy of MY-RIDE, a mHealth Intervention to Reduce HIV in Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Building on the promising results of a pilot study with this population, we aim to fully test the efficacy of MY-RIDE on substance use and HIV prevention strategies. This mHealth approach sends timely, personalized HIV prevention messages at the time of heightened risk for engaging in HIV transmission behaviors.
OUHSC Direct: $165,020 (OUHSC Total: $239,280)

13. R01DA059471 (MPIs: Cropsey & Gamble)
09/18/2023 – 08/31/2027
NIH/NIDA
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder differentially modulate intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell function, sleep, and circadian rhythms: Implications for treatment
This project will investigate a special set of photosensitive neurons in the retina as an underlying mechanism for circadian rhythm and sleep disturbance from opioid use and medications for OUD that could lead to novel interventions and improve treatment outcomes.
OUHSC Direct: $126,048 (Total: $182,769)

14. U01CA261598 (PIs: Bui & Vidrine)
09/17/2021 – 08/31/2026
NIH/NCI
Ending Tobacco Use through Interactive Tailored Messaging for Cambodian People Living with HIV/AIDS (EndIT)
Participants (n=800) will be randomized to one of 2 treatment groups: Standard Care (SC; n=400), or Automated Messaging (AM; n=400). SC consists of brief advice to quit smoking delivered by research staff, self-help written materials, and an 8-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the form of transdermal patches. The primary outcome is biochemically confirmed self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 12-months post-study enrollment.
Total: $3,541,404

15. R01CA251451 (PI: Kendzor)
04/01/2021 – 03/31/2026
NIH/NCI            
Mobile Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adults
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of an automated, smartphone-based approach to incentivizing smoking cessation.
Total: $3,072,461

16. R21CA253600/R33CA253600 (PI: Bui)
07/01/2020 – 06/30/2025
NIH/NCI
Mobile Health Technology for Personalized Tobacco Cessation Support in Laos
The purpose of the study is to advance mHealth applications in tobacco-cessation treatment in low- and middle-income settings and subsequently reduce tobacco-related morbidities and mortality.
Total: $1,121,268 (Direct: $931,460)

17. R01 DA046096-01 (PI: Cropsey)
07/15/2020 – 04/30/2025
NIH/NIDA
Circadian and sleep mechanisms among racial groups for nicotine dependence, craving, and withdrawal
The overall goal for this project is to examine how sleep and nicotine dependence are related across racial ethnic groups.
Total: $2,779,141 (Direct: $1,938,617) OUHSC Subaward (Total: $201,193; Direct: $138,755)

18. P30 CA225520 (PI: Mannel; Businelle: Dir mHeath Shared Resource)
05/01/2018 – 04/30/2028
NIH/NCI
Stephenson Cancer Center – Cancer Center Support Grant
Dr. Businelle is the Scientific Director of the NCI designated
Stephenson Cancer Center mHealth Shared Resource. The shared resource enables researchers to rapidly create mobile applications that identify environmental, cognitive, affective, physiological and behavioral antecedents of cancer risk behaviors (e.g., smoking, heavy alcohol use, poor diet, inactivity, obesity, etc.) and deliver context-specific adaptive interventions in real time.
Total: $20,338,846 (Direct: $14,073,242)

Consultant

19. R01CA282223 (PI: Hoeppner)
08/03/2023 – 07/31/2028
NIH/NCI
Randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of a smartphone app for smoking cessation for nondaily smokers
This study will test the effectiveness of the Smiling instead of Smoking (SiS) app in a sample of nondaily smokers. Dr. Businelle will serve as a consultant on this innovative project.

20. U54MD015946A Pilot Award (MPIs: Garey & Fernandez)
08/09/2024 – 07/31/2026
NIH/NIMHD
Freedom to Reach Emotional Empowerment: An mHealth App for Black Women with HIV
This study will test a novel, culturally sensitive mHealth app that aims to improve the health of Black women with HIV by increasing access to mental health treatment and offering support and encouragement for maintaining HIV care.

Mentor

21. K99/R00 DA054255 (PI: Ra)
07/01/2024 – 06/20/2029
NIH/NIDA
Using Mobile Technology to Examine Mechanisms Linking Sleep and Smoking Cessation
Direct (initial year): $98,745
Role: Mentor

22. K23AA030804 (PI: Redmond)
09/20/2023 – 08/31/2028
Latinx Hazardous Drinkers: Evaluating Microaggressions
This work will provide a nuanced approach to examining minority stress and hazardous drinking among Latinx individuals and poses a highly unique training opportunity.
Total: $937,710 (Direct: $868,250)
Role: Co-mentor

23. K08CA266937 (PI: Azizoddin)
07/01/2022 – 06/30/2027
NIH/NCI (NCI)
Integrating pain-CBT into an mHealth analgesic support intervention for patients with chronic pain from advanced cancers
This study seeks to improve cancer patients’ pain self-management by adapting and integrating cognitive behavioral therapy for pain into an existing mHealth intervention designed to optimize pharmacologic management (e.g., daily pain/opioid monitoring and tailored advice) for patients with advanced cancer.
Total: $958,425 (Direct: $887,753)
Role: Mentor

24. K01MD015295 (PI: Alexander)
05/08/2021 – 01/31/2026 
NIH/NIMHD
HealthyCells: A Culturally-Tailored Smoking Cessation Smartphone Intervention for African Americans with Adjunctive Treatment for Sedentary Behavior
This NIMHD career development award focuses on developing an innovative culturally tailored smartphone intervention that uses contingency management and sedentary behavior reduction to improve smoking cessation outcomes among African American smokers.
Total:  $670,210
Role: Co-Mentor

25. K01DA054262 (PI: Gajos)
04/01/2022 – 03/31/2027
NIH/NIDA                                                                                          
Momentary Geospatial, Psychological, and Behavioral Risk for Substance Use in Young Adults Under Criminal Justice Supervision
This project investigates substance use risk with geographically-explicit ecological momentary assessment data and risk terrain modeling to develop a just-in-time adaptive intervention to reduce substance use in young adults enrolled in drug treatment court.
Total:  $841,563
Role: Co-Mentor

26. F31AA030163 (PI: Tanya Smit)
05/01/2022 – 04/30/2025
NIH/NIAAA
Microaggressions and Hazardous Drinking among non-Latinx Black Individuals with Chronic Pain
This dissertation project (N=100) aims to elucidate the distinct role of micro aggressions in alcohol use motivation and drinking directly and indirectly through emotion dysregulation among non-Latinx Black adults using time sampling methodology (over the course of 21 days).
Direct: $110,112
Role: Co-Mentor

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Select Publications:

1. Businelle MS, *Hébert ET, Shi D, *Benson L, Kezbers KM, *Tonkin S, Piper ME, Qian T. Investigating Best Practices for Ecological Momentary Assessment: Nationwide Factorial Experiment. JMIR, 2024; 26, e50275.
2. Businelle M (co-first author), *Becerra J (co-first author), Witten C, Chen S, Kezbers K, Beebe L, Kendzor DE. Smartphone-based smoking cessation intervention (OKquit) for Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline users: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 2024; 13, e56827.
3. Businelle MS, *Benson L, *Hébert ET, Neil J, Kendzor DE, Frank-Pearce S, Kezbers KM, Vidrine D, Gaur A. Project Phoenix: Pilot randomized controlled trial of a smartphone-delivered intervention for people who are not ready to quit smoking. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2024; 260, 111351.
4. Businelle MS, Perski O, *Hébert ET, Kendzor DE. Mobile health interventions for substance use disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 2024; 20, 49-76.
5. *Ulm C, Chen S, Fleshman B, *Benson L, Kendzor DE, Frank-Pearce S, Neil JM, Vidrine D, Businelle MS. Smartphone-based survey and message compliance in adults initially unready to quit smoking: A secondary analysis of a randomized trial. JMIR Formative Research, 2024; 8, e56003.
6. Benson L, Chen M, De La Torre I, Hébert ET, Alexander A, Ra CK, Kendzor DE, Businelle MS. Associations between morning affect and later-day smoking urges and behavior. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2024; 38, 277-295.
7. Sisson ML, Azuero A, Chichester KR, Carpenter MJ, Businelle MS, Shelton RC, et al. Feasibility and acceptability of online opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution: Study protocol and preliminary results from a randomized pilot clinical trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2023; 33, 101131. DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101131
8. Wang C, Chen TA, Britton M, Businelle MS, Kendzor DE, McNeill LH, et al. The indirect effect of smoking level in the association between urban stress and readiness to quit smoking among adults experiencing homelessness. Health Behavior Research, 2023; 6(1). DOI: 10.4148/2572-1836.1175
9. Zvolensky MJ, Kauffman BY, Garey L, Buckner JD, Businelle MS,  Reitzel LR. Financial strain among adult African American/Black cannabis users. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 2022; 23(2), 365-377. DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2022.2092924
10. Ehlke SJ, Cohn AM, Boozary L, Alexander AC, Waring JC, Businelle MS, Kendzor D. Discrimination, substance use, and mental health among sexual and gender minority adults accessing day shelter services. Substance Use & Misuse, 2022; 57(8), 1237-1247. DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2076874
11. Businelle MS, Garey L, Gallagher MW, Hébert ET, Vujanovic A, Alexander A, Kezbers K, Matoska C, Robison J, Montgomery A,  Zvolensky MJ. An integrated mHealth app for smoking cessation in Black smokers with anxiety: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 2022; 11(5), e38905. DOI: 10.2196/38905
12. Garey L, Hébert ET, Mayorga NA, Chavez F, Shepherd JM, Businelle M,  Zvolensky MJ. Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a mobile based health technology for smoking cessation: Mobile Anxiety Sensitivity Program (MASP). British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2022; 61 (Suppl 1), 111-129. DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12294
13. Bui TC, Sopheab H, Businelle MS, Chhea C, Ly PS, Vidrine JI, Thol D, Frank-Pearce SG, Vidrine DJ. Mobile-health intervention for smoking cessation among Cambodian people living with HIV: A mixed-methods pilot study. AIDS Care, 2022; 34(4), 430-439. DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1887443
14. Walters ST, Businelle MS, Suchting R, *Li X, *Hébert ET, Mun E-Y.  Using machine learning to identify predictors of imminent drinking and create tailored messages for at-risk drinkers experiencing homelessness. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2021; 127, 108417.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108417
15. Cropsey KL, Wolford-Clevenger C, *Sisson ML, Chichester KR, Azuero A, Businelle MS, Hendricks PS, Shelton RC, Carpenter MJ. A pilot study of nicotine replacement therapy sampling and selection to increase medication adherence in low-income smokers. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2021; 23(9), 1575-1583. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntab029
16. Mun E-Y, *Li X, Businelle MS, Tan Z, Barnett NP, Walters ST. Ecological momentary assessment of alcohol consumption and its concordance with transdermal alcohol detection and timeline follow-back self-report among adults experiencing homelessness. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2021; 45(4), 864-876. DOI: 10.1111/acer.14571
17. *Hébert ET, Suchting R, *Ra CK, *Alexander AC, Kendzor DE, Vidrine DJ,  §Businelle MS. Predicting the first smoking lapse during a quit attempt: A machine learning approach. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2021; 218, 108340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108340 
18. Suchting R, Businelle MS, Hwang SW, Padhye NS, Yang Y, Santa-Maria DM. Predicting daily sheltering arrangements among youth experiencing homelessness using diary measurements collected by ecological momentary assessment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020; 17, 6873.  DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186873
19. Kendzor DE, Businelle MS, Waring JJC, Mathews A, Geller DW, Barton JM, *Alexander AC, *Hébert ET, *Ra CK, Vidrine DJ. Automated mobile delivery of financial incentives for smoking cessation among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults: A feasibility study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2020; 8(4), e15960. DOI: 10.2196/15960
20. Businelle MS (co-first author), Walters S (co-first author), Mun E-Y, Kirchner TR, *Hébert ET, Li X. Reducing drinking among people experiencing homelessness: Protocol for the development and testing of a just-in-time adaptive intervention. JMIR Research Protocols, 2020; 9, e15610. PMCID: 7193437 
21. *Hébert ET, *Ra CK, *Alexander AC, Helt A, Moisiuc R, Kendzor DE, Vidrine DJ, Funk-Lawler RK, §Businelle MS. A mobile just-in-time adaptive intervention for smoking cessation: pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2020; 22(3), e16907. PMCID: 7091024 
22. *Cooper M, *Case KR, *Hébert ET, Vandewater EA, Raese K, Perry CL, Businelle MS. Characterizing ENDS use in young adults with ecological momentary assessment: Results from a pilot study. Addictive Behaviors, 2019; 91, 30-36. PMC6364672
23. Suchting R, *Hébert ET, Ma P, Kendzor DE, §Businelle MS. Using elastic net penalized cox proportional hazards regression to identify predictors of imminent smoking lapse. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2019; 21, 173-179. PMID: 29059349