Ohio State Licenses Universal Smoking Machine Adaptor to Cerulean, Enhancing Global Tobacco Research

COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Ohio State University has reached a licensing agreement with Cerulean, worldwide producer of smoking and vaping machines for tobacco product emissions testing, to bring its universal smoking machine adaptor to market. This innovative tool, developed by Marielle C. Brinkman, research professor in the College of Public Health, and Theodore L. Wagener, professor in the College of Medicine at Ohio State, is designed to address a critical need in emissions testing for conventional and more modern tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products.

“The versatility and user-friendliness of this technological advance reinforce the adaptor’s potential to revolutionize tobacco product emissions testing; with it we can now test products that could not be reliably and reproducibly tested before,” said Prof. Brinkman.

The adaptor integrates seamlessly with existing vaping and smoking machines, enabling emissions testing across a much broader range of tobacco products than existing geometry-specific adaptors. Solving this complex problem required a multidisciplinary team, including Ohio State’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tobacco Products Laboratory, Cerulean, and a small manufacturing business, Jones-Collier, led by Jeremy Jones. Their combined efforts have resulted in a versatile, validated tool that meets the needs of researchers and regulatory bodies worldwide.

"At Cerulean, we are committed to advancing tobacco product testing through innovative solutions. Partnering with the Ohio State University on this adaptor aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accurate and reliable emissions testing for a rapidly evolving industry. This universal adaptor will enable researchers and regulatory bodies worldwide to test a broader range of products with greater consistency and confidence, ultimately supporting harm reduction and informed public health policies," said Thomas Herring, Cerulean Aftersales Portfolio Manager.

The initial project was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products in order to help standardize testing equipment and methodologies and reduce data variability in the measurement of the chemical and physical properties of e-cigarettes, cigars, and heated tobacco products. The adaptor’s compatibility with a wide range of products minimizes the need for device-specific adaptations.

As the project enters its final phase, the Brinkman Lab at Ohio State will oversee production, stakeholder support, and ongoing development of the adaptor. This ensures the technology will remain accessible and impactful, helping reduce redundant validation efforts and enabling standardized emissions testing.