Elias Klemperer
Associate Professor, Psychological Science
Associate Director, Vermont Center on Behavior and Health
PRONUNCIATION ee-LI-us KLEM-per-er
PRONOUNS he/him
1 South Prospect
UHC Room 3138
Burlington, VT 05401
United States
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology; NIH Predoctoral Fellow, University of Vermont
- B.A., Psychology, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR
- Internship, Clinical and Community Psychology, Yale University School of Medicine
- NIH Fellowship, Vermont Center on Behavior and Health, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Department of Psychology
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Areas of expertise
addiction, substance use disorders, nicotine, cigarettes, E-cigarettes, oral nicotine pouches, tobacco treatment.
BIO
Elias Klemperer, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Psychological Science and a licensed clinical psychologist. He serves as the Associate Director of the Vermont Center on Behavior and Health (VCBH) and Co-Director of Education and Outreach within the Center on Rural Addiction (CORA). His research broadly falls within addiction science with a focus on tobacco treatment and tobacco regulatory science. His recent and ongoing studies address dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, nicotine reduction, and interventions for people who are not ready to quit smoking. Dr. Klemperer’s work utilizes a range of research methodologies including remote and in-person randomized clinical trials, meta-analysis, and fine-grained naturalistic research. He provides mentorship to pre-doctoral trainees and post-doctoral fellows within the VCBH.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- 2017 University of Vermont Graduate College Most Innovative Research Award
- 2017 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director’s Award
- 2018 Yale Doctoral Internship in Clinical & Community Psychology Travel Award
- 2019 University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Dean’s Excellence in Research Award
- 2020 University of Vermont Graduate College Outstanding Dissertation Award
- 2020 College on Problems of Drug Dependence Early Career Investigator Travel Award
- 2020 American Psychological Association: Division 28 Outstanding Dissertation Award
- 2024 University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Rising Star New Investigator Award
- 2025 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Jarvik-Russell New Investigator Award
Bio
Elias Klemperer, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Psychological Science and a licensed clinical psychologist. He serves as the Associate Director of the Vermont Center on Behavior and Health (VCBH) and Co-Director of Education and Outreach within the Center on Rural Addiction (CORA). His research broadly falls within addiction science with a focus on tobacco treatment and tobacco regulatory science. His recent and ongoing studies address dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, nicotine reduction, and interventions for people who are not ready to quit smoking. Dr. Klemperer’s work utilizes a range of research methodologies including remote and in-person randomized clinical trials, meta-analysis, and fine-grained naturalistic research. He provides mentorship to pre-doctoral trainees and post-doctoral fellows within the VCBH.
Publications
Awards and Achievements
- 2017 University of Vermont Graduate College Most Innovative Research Award
- 2017 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director’s Award
- 2018 Yale Doctoral Internship in Clinical & Community Psychology Travel Award
- 2019 University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Dean’s Excellence in Research Award
- 2020 University of Vermont Graduate College Outstanding Dissertation Award
- 2020 College on Problems of Drug Dependence Early Career Investigator Travel Award
- 2020 American Psychological Association: Division 28 Outstanding Dissertation Award
- 2024 University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Rising Star New Investigator Award
- 2025 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Jarvik-Russell New Investigator Award
Select Publications
- Klemperer, E. M., Luo, X., Cao, Q., Carroll, D. M., McClernon, F. J., Benowitz, N. L., Strasser, A. A., Tidey, J. W., Donny, E. C., & Hatsukami, D. K. (2026). Sustained effects of reduced nicotine cigarettes and co-use of non-combusted alternative nicotine delivery systems: a one-month follow-up to a randomized clinical trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2026.113051. PMID41570485.
- Klemperer, E. M., Feinstein, M. J. P., Marsh, K., Villanti, A. C., Carpenter, M. J., Skelly, J., DeSarno, M. J., & Higgins S. T. (2025). A factorial randomized clinical trial of nicotine replacement therapy and treatment recommendations to quit vs continue e-cigarettes when quitting smoking in young adult dual users. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaf119. PMID40448340. PMC12641168.
- Klemperer, E. M., DeSarno, M. J., Tidey, J. W., Gaalema, D. E., Nolder, K. A., Feinstein, M. J. P., Wiley, R. C., & Higgins, S. T. (2025). E-cigarette use frequency mediates effects in three randomized controlled trials of reduced nicotine cigarettes with tobacco vs preferred flavor e-cigarettes in high-risk populations in the U.S. Preventive Medicine. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2025.108353. PMID40628358. PMC12291598.
- Klemperer, E. M., Hughes, J. R., Callas, P. W., Benner, J. A., & Morley, N. E. (2019). Effectiveness of switching to very low nicotine content cigarettes plus nicotine patch versus reducing daily cigarette consumption plus nicotine patch to decrease dependence: An exploratory randomized trial. Addiction. doi: 10.1111/add.14666
- Klemperer, E. M., Hughes, J. R., Solomon, L. J., Callas, P.W., & Fingar, J. R. (2017). Motivational and reduction interventions for smokers who are not ready to quit: A randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 112(1) 146-155. doi: 10.1111/add.13594.