Lynne Dawkins completed her PhD in 2001 and postdoctoral studies in 2006, both at Goldsmiths College, London, UK. She then took up a senior lecturer at the University of East London where she currently co-ordinates the Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Research Group. She specializes in nicotine addiction and smoking cessation; current research is focusing on i) effects of the electronic cigarette and ii) response inhibition deficits in smokers along with implications for abstinence.

• Leader of the Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Research Group (DABRG)
• Member: School Research Management Team (RMT)
• Chair: School Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee (SR&KEC)
• Member: University Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee (UR&KEC)
• Member: School REF Advisory Group (RAG)

The Neurobiology of Addiction — particularly nicotine addiction, and the implications that current addiction theory has for behaviour, namely reward motivation, mood, cue-reactivity, response inhibition and other cognitive processes. Recent work includes papers exploring whether impairments seen during acute abstinence can a) predict relapse and b) recover over time. Current work is focusing on whether response inhibition training in abstinent smokers can impact on craving and smoking behaviour.

Efficacy of Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) for reducing craving and nicotine withdrawal symptoms during abstinence. Current projects are also exploring blood nicotine delivery (funded by Skycigs) and effects on cognition (in collaboration with The Electronic Cigarette Company/Totally Wicked E-Liquids).

• BSc Psychology
• MSc Psychology
• Clinical Professional Doctorate Programme

• PY2103: Biopsychology (module leader)
• PY2106: Psychology of Mental Health
• PY2111: Drugs and Behaviour
• PY3102: Research Project
• PY3125: Addictive Behaviours (module leader)
• PYM151: Biopsychology (module leader)
• Research Project

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Dawkins, L. (in press). Why is it so hard to quit smoking? The Psychologist.
2. Edmonds, C., Crombie, R., Ballieux, H., Gardner, M.R., & Dawkins, L. (in press). Water consumption, not expectancies about water consumption, affects cognitive performance in adults. Appetite.
3. Dawkins, L., Turner, J., Roberts, A., & Soar, K. (2013). ‘Vaping’ profiles and preferences: an online survey of electronic cigarette users. Addiction. Advance online publication. doi:10.1111/add.12150
4. Dawkins, L., Turner, J., & Crowe, E. (2013). Nicotine derived from the electronic cigarette improves time-based prospective memory in abstinent smokers. Psychopharmacology. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s00213-013-2983-2
5. Dawkins, L., Turner, J., Hasna, S., & Soar, K. (2012). The electronic-cigarette: effects on desire to smoke, withdrawal symptoms and cognition. Addictive Behaviors, 37(8), 970–973. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.03.004
6. Froggart, D., Jansari, A., Edgington, T., & Dawkins, L. (2012). Investigating the impact of nicotine on executive functions using a novel virtual reality assessment. Addiction. Advance online publication. doi:10.1111/add.12082
7. Soar, K., Mason, C., Potton, A., & Dawkins, L. (2012). Neuropsychological effects associated with recreational cocaine use. Psychopharmacology, 222(4), 633–643. doi:10.1007/s00213-012-2666-4
8. Dawkins, L., Shahzad, F.-Z., Ahmed, S.S., & Edmonds, C.J. (2011). Expectation of having consumed caffeine can improve performance and mood. Appetite, 57(3), 597–600. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2011.07.011
9. Dawkins, L., & Powell, J. (2011). Effects of nicotine and alcohol on affective responses to emotionally toned film clips. Psychopharmacology, 216(2), 197–205. doi:10.1007/s00213-011-2197-4
10. Powell, J., Dawkins, L., West, R., Powell, J., & Pickering, A. (2010). Relapse to smoking during unaided cessation: clinical, cognitive and motivational predictors. Psychopharmacology. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s00213-010-1975-8
11. Dawkins, L., Powell, J.H., Pickering, A., Powell, J., & West, R. (2009). Patterns of change in withdrawal symptoms, desire to smoke, reward motivation, and response inhibition across three months of smoking abstinence. Addiction, 104(5), 850–858. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02522.x
12. Soar, K., Dawkins, L., Begum, H., & Parrott, A. (2008). The effects of cigarette smoking and abstinence on auditory verbal learning. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 23(7), 621–627. doi:10.1002/hup.968

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Soar, K., Dawkins, L., Begum, H., & Parrott, A. (2008). The effects of cigarette smoking and abstinence on auditory verbal learning. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 23(7), 621–627. doi:10.1002/hup.968
2. Dawkins, L., Acaster, S., & Powell, J.H. (2007). The effects of smoking and abstinence on experience of happiness and sadness in response to positively valenced, negatively valenced and neutral film clips. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 425–431. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.05.010
3. Dawkins, L., Powell, J.H., West, R., Powell, J., & Pickering, A. (2007). A double-blind placebo controlled experimental study of nicotine: II effects on response inhibition and executive functioning. Psychopharmacology, 190(4), 457–467. doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0634-6
4. Dawkins, L., Powell, J.H., West, R., Powell, J., & Pickering, A. (2006). A double-blind placebo controlled experimental study of nicotine: I effects on incentive motivation. Psychopharmacology, 189(3), 355–367. doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0588-8
5. Powell, J.H., Pickering, A.D., Dawkins, L., West, R., & Powell, J.F. (2004). Cognitive and psychological correlates of smoking abstinence, and predictors of successful cessation. Addictive Behaviors, 29(7), 1407–1426. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.06.006
6. Powell, J., Dawkins, L., & Davis, R. (2002). Smoking, reward responsiveness and response inhibition: tests of an incentive motivational model. Biological Psychiatry, 51(2), 151–163. doi:10.1016/S0006-3223(01)01208-2

Book Chapters

1. Powell, J.H., & Dawkins, L. (2007). Cognitive, affective and motivational effects of smoking. In P.M. Miller & D.J. Kavanagh (Eds.), Translation of Addictions Science into Practice (pp. 239–257). Oxford: Elsevier. doi:10.1016/B978-008044927-2/50061-4

• Certificate in Good Clinical Practice
• External Examiner for Buckinghamshire New University
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Psychobiology Section
• Member of the Society for Research in Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT)
• Member of the British Association of Psychopharmacology (BAP)
• Member of the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA)
• Reviewer:
  • Journals: Addiction; Addictive Behaviors; Addiction Biology; Appetite; Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology; Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs; Nicotine and Tobacco Research; Psychopharmacology; The Medical Letter
  • Funding Councils: ESRC; NIHR