Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS)

What Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS) does

The Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS) is a non-profit research institute embedded within Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, headquartered at 303 George Street, 5th Floor, New Brunswick, NJ. Founded in 2000 as the Center for Tobacco Studies and rebranded to INTS in July 2023, the institute operates five specialized centers: the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), which informs FDA tobacco regulation; the Center of Excellence for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST), a real-time surveillance center funded by an $18M NIH grant; the Tobacco Dependence Program (TDP), a nationally accredited treatment and Tobacco Treatment Specialist training program; the Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Program, home to the Trinkets & Trash surveillance archive; and the Tobacco Control Law and Policy Resource Center (TCLPRC), which provides legal and policy guidance to government bodies. INTS maintains core research infrastructure in the Office of Survey Methods and Data Analysis (SMDA) and produces recurring publications such as the NJ Youth Tobacco Survey and NJ Point-of-Sale Reports.

INTS's technology stack centers on survey methodology, statistical analysis, surveillance databases, and policy/regulatory science rather than commercial software products. Its proprietary assets include the Trinkets & Trash archive of tobacco marketing materials, multi-year NJ youth and point-of-sale datasets, and an FDA-facing regulatory science workflow. The institute has approximately 39 staff, including core faculty, research staff, trainees, and central administration.

INTS operates a grant-funded, non-commercial business model. Over its history it has been awarded approximately $75 million in extramural funding, primarily from the National Institutes of Health and the FDA, with recent major grants including TCORS 2.0 ($18M, 2018-2025) and CRST ($18M, 2023). Downstream mission outputs include treatment of over 7,000 smokers in New Jersey and TTS training of more than 3,000 clinicians across all 50 states and over 11 countries, but these are not monetized as standalone revenue streams. Customer segments are government funders (NIH, FDA, NJ DOH, NY State DOH), clinicians seeking training, and New Jersey smokers receiving treatment services.

Name

Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS)

Legal name

Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Website

https://ints.rutgers.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rutgers INTS is a non-profit research institute within Rutgers University that conducts tobacco and nicotine regulatory science, surveillance, treatment, and policy research, serving the FDA, NIH, NJ Department of Health, clinicians, and New Jersey citizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tobacco Control Research and Public Health

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAAAC

Public Research Universities with Academic Medical Centers (AMCs)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Public Research Universities

SECONDARYEDADAKAH

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB)

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Institutional Governance & Administration (School/College/University Admin)

SECONDARYHLAIADAH

Smoking Cessation & Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines

Keywords

• Tobacco control research
• Smoking cessation treatment
• Tobacco regulatory science
• Public health research
• Tobacco treatment training

Headquarters

HQ city

New Brunswick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Extramural Research Funding: INTS has been awarded approximately $75 million in extramural funding over the past two decades, primarily from federal sources including NIH and FDA.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS) is a research institute that conducts tobacco control research, delivers evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment, trains clinicians as tobacco treatment specialists, and provides legal/policy guidance to government agencies. It operates five specialized centers (TCORS, CRST, TDP, TIM, TCLPRC) plus a central Office of Survey Methods and Data Analysis (SMDA).

Product overview

The Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS) is a research institute offering a portfolio of interconnected research centers, treatment programs, and training services. The core research infrastructure includes five centers: the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) which informs FDA tobacco regulation; the Center of Excellence for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST) for real-time tobacco market monitoring; the Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Program with its Trinkets & Trash surveillance archive; the Tobacco Control Law and Policy Resource Center (TCLPRC) for legal/policy guidance; and the Tobacco Dependence Program (TDP) for smoking cessation treatment. Supporting infrastructure includes the Office of Survey Methods and Data Analysis (SMDA) for methodological services, and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist training program accredited by CTTTP. The institute also produces recurring research publications including NJ Point-of-Sale Reports and NJ Youth Tobacco Survey Reports, and hosts monthly educational seminars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trinkets and Trash (T&T): A surveillance system and archive that monitors, collects, and documents current and historic tobacco products and tobacco industry marketing materials and tactics for research and educational purposes.

Products and services

• Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) Generates critical research to inform the FDA's regulation of tobacco products. Part of a national network of TCORS centers studying effects of tobacco marketing, labeling, and packaging on users and non-users.
• Center of Excellence for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco (CRST) An $18 million grant-funded center enabling researchers to rapidly identify and analyze critical information in real time to generate timely information for FDA regulatory and enforcement action.
• Tobacco Dependence Program (TDP) Dedicated to reducing harm from tobacco use, providing expertise on quitting smoking. Includes a Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs (CTTTP) accredited Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) Training program. Has treated over 7,000 smokers in New Jersey.
• Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Program Monitors and documents tobacco industry marketing materials and tactics through the Trinkets & Trash surveillance system and archive.
• Tobacco Control Law and Policy Resource Center (TCLPRC) Provides tobacco control legal and policy guidance to government officials, researchers, and advocates at local, state, and federal levels. Drafts public comments on FDA proposed rules and has provided policy advice to NY State DOH and local health departments.
• Trinkets & Trash (T&T) Surveillance System A surveillance system and archive that monitors, collects, and documents current and historic tobacco products and tobacco industry marketing materials and tactics for research and educational purposes.
• Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) Training A Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs (CTTTP) nationally accredited training program for tobacco treatment specialists. Over 3,000 clinicians trained from all 50 states and over 11 countries.
• NJ Youth Tobacco Survey (NJYTS) Statewide survey measuring the use of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, snus, hookah, electronic cigarettes, and nicotine pouches among New Jersey youth. Reports prepared for the NJ Department of Health.
• NJ Point-of-Sale Reports Annual reports tracking tobacco product marketing and sales at point-of-sale locations in New Jersey from 2014-2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 smokers treated in New Jersey
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wake Forest UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWake Forest University is a co-investigator institution on the $18 million CRST (Center of Excellence for Rapid Surveillance of Tobacco) grant, contributing to rapid surveillance of tobacco product marketing, marketplace, and use behaviors.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanford University is a co-investigator institution on the CRST grant, participating in tobacco surveillance research activities.
• University of KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Kentucky is a co-investigator institution on the CRST grant, contributing to tobacco surveillance research.
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ohio State University is a co-investigator institution on the CRST grant, participating in tobacco surveillance activities.
• Columbia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia University is a co-investigator institution on the CRST grant, contributing to tobacco surveillance research.
• Westat, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestat, Inc. is a co-investigator institution on the CRST grant, providing research support for tobacco surveillance.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Pennsylvania was co-lead institution with Rutgers on the $18 million TCORS 2.0 grant (2018-2025), led by Andrew Strasser and Cristine Delnevo as MPIs, studying effects of tobacco marketing, labeling, and packaging.
• University of Michigan (Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations - CAsToR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAsToR at University of Michigan is the lead center for TCORS 3.0 (2025-2028), funded to provide evidence-based modeling of behavioral and public health impacts of FDA tobacco rules. Dr. Rafael Meza joined Rutgers from Michigan in September 2025.
• Public Health Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a subcontract with the Public Health Law Center, TCLPRC has provided tobacco control policy advice to the New York State Department of Health and various local health departments.
• New York State Department of HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCLPRC, through its subcontract with Public Health Law Center, has provided tobacco control policy advice to the New York State Department of Health and local health departments.
• New York City Law DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCLPRC collaborated with the New York City Law Department regarding the study of illicit trade of untaxed cigarettes and illicit e-cigarettes.
• FDA (Food and Drug Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINTS serves as a key research partner for FDA's tobacco regulatory science program. TCLPRC drafts and coordinates public comments on FDA proposed rules. TCORS generates research to inform FDA regulation of tobacco products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Lung Association: National public health nonprofit that funds tobacco cessation research, advocacy, and policy. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem actor that translates tobacco science into public education and state/federal policy, but operates as an advocacy/funding body rather than a research institute.
• CDC Office on Smoking and Health: Federal public health office that conducts surveillance (e.g., National Youth Tobacco Survey), funds state tobacco control programs, and sets national tobacco priorities. Comparable as a tobacco surveillance and policy translation entity and as a key partner/funder for INTS-style academic research.
• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT): International scientific society that convenes INTS and the broader nicotine/tobacco research community, including the SRNT Annual Meeting where INTS faculty and staff present 70+ talks. Comparable as the central convening body for INTS' field rather than a direct research competitor.

Direct peers

• UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education: One of the longest-standing academic tobacco research centers in the U.S., publishing and training across tobacco control, policy, and cessation. Directly comparable to INTS as a university-based research hub producing evidence that informs FDA and state tobacco regulation.
• University of Pennsylvania (TCORS / tobacco regulatory science): Co-lead with Rutgers on the $18M TCORS 2.0 grant (2018-2025) studying tobacco marketing, labeling, and packaging. Directly comparable in TCORS scope, federal funding scale, and regulatory science focus.
• University of Michigan Center for the Assessment of Tobacco Regulations (CAsToR): Lead center of TCORS 3.0 (2025-2028) and a direct collaborator with INTS on FDA tobacco regulatory science modeling. Comparable as a TCORS-affiliated academic center doing FDA-funded behavioral and public health modeling of tobacco regulations.
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine (CRST co-investigator): Academic co-investigator on INTS' $18M CRST grant for rapid surveillance of tobacco. Directly comparable as a peer university research group collaborating on FDA-funded tobacco surveillance and regulatory science.
• Georgetown University Medical Center (TCORS): Another TCORS-affiliated academic center conducting FDA-funded research on tobacco product regulations. Directly comparable as a competing TCORS site pursuing similar federal regulatory science grants.
• Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute: Research arm of Truth Initiative focused on tobacco use surveillance, cessation, and policy evaluation. Directly comparable to INTS in combining population-level surveillance (e.g., Monitoring the Future/MYSTIC-style products), cessation research, and policy translation.

Broad incumbents

• Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center: Large NCI-designated cancer center with significant tobacco and nicotine research programs. Comparable as a broader, well-established research institution that addresses tobacco use as one pillar of a wider cancer control portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutgers-institute-for-nicotine-and-tobacco-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies (INTS)