Robin Mermelstein, PhD. is Distinguished Professor, Psychology Department, Director of the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and Co-Director of UIC’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science.  Dr. Mermelstein has been active in health-behavior research for over 25 years, with continuous NIH funding as a Principal Investigator on grants since 1986. Dr. Mermelstein’s research focuses on understanding the development of health-compromising and health-promoting behaviors and developing interventions to reduce health risks. Much of her work has focused on the role of mood regulation in the development, progression, and change in tobacco use behaviors in adolescents and young adults.