A New Liver for Alisha
The Long Way Here: The Staff Who Power Stanford’s Department of Medicine
SCCR: The Engine of Innovation
The SCCR team marks 10 years of progress — bringing together staff, faculty, and collaborators dedicated to driving clinical research forward.
SCCR: The Engine of Innovation
SCCR’s rigorous scientific investigations are powered by efficient operational processes and a dedicated, highly trained team of clinical research professionals. The center supports a wide range of therapeutic areas and modalities, including drugs, devices, digital health, and behavioral interventions. By combining the deep expertise of faculty investigators with the strength of its operations staff, SCCR continues to drive innovation and turn bold research ideas into real-world impact.
Founded in 2014 with a clear mission to advance impactful clinical research through education and high-quality operations, SCCR has grown into one of the nation’s most respected Academic Research Organizations. Today, it serves as the epicenter of clinical research operations at Stanford University, offering end-to-end research capabilities — from study design to publication.
Behind every headline-grabbing scientific discovery, there’s a powerful engine making it all happen — designing trials, coordinating data, managing compliance, and ensuring that everything runs as it should. At Stanford Medicine, that engine is the Stanford Center for Clinical Research (SCCR).
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The Smoking Cessation Program for Veterans That Doesn’t Quit
The Smoking Cessation Program for Veterans That Doesn’t Quit
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and veterans face some of the toughest barriers to quitting. TeleQuit is built to overcome those barriers – offering remote care, mailed medications, and continuous support to help veterans at every stage of their quit journey.
In this conversation, program lead Ware Kuschner, MD, Stanford School of Medicine professor of pulmonary, allergy and critical care medicine and Medical Director of the TeleQuit Smoking Cessation Program for Veterans at the Veterans Health Administration; Angela Malenfant, nurse practitioner; and Sebnem Guvenc-Tuncturk, MD, program manager of the TeleQuit Smoking Cessation Program, explain how the model works and why this kind of care is essential.
Ware Kuschner, MD, director of TeleQuit and professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, stands outside the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, where he leads the national effort to support veterans in quitting tobacco.
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Q: Why is it important to continue to focus on smoking cessation?
Ware Kuschner: Treating nicotine addiction doesn’t have the wonder and awe of organ transplantation. But in 2025, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. We’ve got to keep at it.
Q: Why are veterans an important population to serve?
Angela Malenfant: A lot of tobacco use starts during military service. Many say, “I was handed my first pack of cigarettes when I was 21.” It’s tied to stress, downtime, and deployment. We also see higher rates of mental health disorders in veterans, which means heavier dependence.
Q: What does TeleQuit do differently?
Sebnem Guvenc-Tuncturk: Telehealth allows us to reach so many veterans no matter where they are located. A huge differentiator is that we follow up. A lot of health systems don’t. We reach out the day after the patient’s VA doctor sends us a referral, and if we can’t reach someone, we try again at different times, leaving voicemails – everything. At one month and six months, we follow up again, even if they have never enrolled. That kind of persistence matters.
Kuschner: Once they’re referred, their primary call provider is done. We handle the rest: education, counseling, medication, and follow-up. It’s streamlined for both the veterans and their care team.
Q: How are you adapting to today’s challenges?
Malenfant: We’re seeing more nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, especially with younger vets. It’s not just cigarettes anymore, and for that reason there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Guvenc-Tuncturk: We’ve started a proactive outreach pilot. We contact veterans who haven’t been referred but show signs of tobacco use in their records, especially those with mental health needs. Even if they’re not ready to quit, we use motivational interviewing and offer them nicotine gum or lozenges. It’s a small step that can lead to real change.
Q: What keeps you going?
Kuschner: The easy cases have already quit. We’re helping the tough ones now. And when they succeed – even if we can’t point to the heart attack or stroke they avoided – we know we’ve made a difference.
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