February 17, 2023

CTP is pleased to announce that Dr. Matthew Farrelly has been selected as the next Director of CTP’s Office of Science. Dr. Farrelly comes to CTP from RTI International, where he served as Chief Scientist and Director of the Center for Health Analytics, Media, and Policy. 

Dr. Farrelly has worked extensively in the field of tobacco and nicotine science for more than 25 years, and is an internationally recognized expert with proven leadership and organizational management skills. He has led or been involved with numerous scientific endeavors related to tobacco control policies and regulatory approaches, including those related to graphic health warning labels, excise taxes, smoke-free policies, quitlines, state tobacco control programs, retail advertising, and flavored tobacco products. He has also extensively researched the influence of mass reach health campaigns, including FDA’s The Real Cost. Dr. Farrelly also has a dedicated passion and vision for scientific innovation, and has authored or co-authored over 120 articles in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, which have been cited over 10,000 times. He earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park, and BA in Economics and French from Indiana University. 

Dr. Farrelly was selected after an extensive nationwide search, interviews, and clearance through important FDA ethics and security processes. CTP is excited for Dr. Farrelly to join the Center, effective March 26, 2023.

CTP would also like to express its gratitude to Drs. Todd Cecil and Ben Apelberg for their unwavering leadership and support of the Office of Science over the past 6 months. CTP is extremely thankful to them for capably serving as Acting Office of Science Director during a period of considerable productivity and progress. 

Please welcome Dr. Farrelly to CTP as he works in the coming months and years to achieve the Center’s critical mission to protect Americans from tobacco-related disease and death.