A new $10-million research project will study the genetic underpinnings of nicotine addiction with an eye on developing therapies or medications to help smokers quit, CNET News reported Jan. 25.

The National Institutes of Health is funding the research, which will be conducted by SRI International's Center for Health Sciences and the University of California at San Francisco. "With the patch, gum, nasal spray, inhaler, it's been one-size-fits-all, and results have not been great," said SRI's Gary Swan. "How our brain responds to medication, and the genetic variations in those molecular pathways, could contribute to a patient's ability to quit."

The research reflects a growing interest in so-called personalized medicine, which includes better targeting of medications and interventions based on the patient's genetic background. "The new program and funding will really allow us to apply the latest genomic technology, as well as related data analysis, to understand the science behind the individual variations contributing" to addiction, said Huijun Ring, a molecular geneticist and the program manager at SRI.

Among other things, the research could improve the effectiveness of nicotine-replacement therapies for Asians, who have different metabolisms than Caucasians.