Research / Clinical Summary

John Pierce, PhD Professor, Cancer Center / Family & Preventive Medicine Cancer Prevention & Control Program Contact by Email Visit the Website

Research Interests:
Dr. Pierce has published over 260 papers in the areas of cancer prevention and control. His major area of interest is promoting behavior change at the population level and his team are well known for their work on tobacco use and nutrition. In 1993, he initiated the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) randomized trial that investigates the role of a plant-based dietary pattern (particularly vegetables)in breast cancer progression;

Dr. Pierce's research group has become well-known for the following achievements:

Defined the trends in smoking in the United States. This series of papers, published in JAMA in 1989, were the basis for the year 2000 goals for the nation for tobacco.

Developed measures of incidence of initiation and cessation as well as measures of where individuals are in the process of starting and stopping smoking. His measure of 'susceptibility to smoking' for adolescent never smokers is now widely used.

Established the effectiveness of statewide tobacco control programs. This work began in Australia in the early 1980s and includes a series of in-depth reports on smoking behavior change in California.

Established the effectiveness of using telephone counseling for behavior change. He initiated the trial that established the California Smokers Helpline as a model program and extended this approach to other behaviors such as nutrition and exercise.

Outlined the effectiveness of tobacco industry advertising and promotional activities in encouraging young people to start smoking and thwarting the public health efforts to convince adolescents not to smoke.