Research Interest
Metabolic Regulation
Complications
Category
Clinical
Population / Community Based
Descriptor of Research
Our research group specializes in systems and translational cancer epidemiology with an overarching goal to develop precision-based cancer prevention/control strategies. Our current projects incorporate novel high-throughput technologies (genomics, microbiome, proteomics, accelerometers) into large-scale collaborative population-based/clinical studies to address provocative questions in cancer prevention, including but not limited to the
etiology of sporadic cancers among younger adults. the biological basis for cancer disparity, and the role of host-microbial interactions in carcinogenesis.
We were among the first to report the link between obesity, prolonged sitting, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes with increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer. For the majority of these factors, the associations were stronger for early-onset cases compared with cancers of later-onset. Studies on tumor molecular landscape also reported similar associations, suggesting that metabolic dysregulation plays a key and potentially stronger role in
carcinogenesis at younger ages. We are funded through the NCI to study the mediating role of plasma proteome, yet we eagerly look forward to collaborating with colleagues in basic/translational sciences to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms and to develop precision prevention strategies through team science projects.