Principal Investigators in the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch (ITEB)

Dr. Mustapha Abubakar’s integrative research program in computational pathoepidemiology is focused on advancing scientific understanding into the role of tissue ecosystem disruption in the etiology, natural history, tumor heterogeneity, and clinical outcomes of screening-detectable cancers.

Dr. Diptavo Dutta is an Earl Stadtman Investigator in the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch. He directs a comprehensive research program that integrates genetic and omics data to understand the contribution of ancestry and genetic factors to the etiology and manifestation of cancer. He is an affiliate member of the Biostatistics Branch.

Jonine Figueroa, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an internationally recognized expert in breast cancer epidemiology and integrative molecular epidemiologic research with a focus on global health. She studies breast cancer molecular epidemiology in diverse populations. 

Dr. Gierach studies the etiology of hormonally-related female cancers, particularly the molecular mechanisms underlying breast carcinogenesis, with special emphasis on mammographic density, one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer.

Dr. Maria Teresa Landi focuses her research on understanding tumor etiology and evolution for possible translational applications. She leads large-scale multidisciplinary research projects primarily on the genetic and environmental determinants of lung cancer and melanoma. Dr. Landi pioneers cutting-edge analyses of genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic data, and integrates molecular data with histological and radiological imaging and clinical and epidemiological data.

Mitchell Machiela, Sc.D., M.P.H., focuses on elucidating the role of germline variation and somatic mosaicism in cancer risk and leads studies of large-scale genetic mosaicism to investigate the causes of acquired mosaic alterations and their impact on cancer risk.

Dr. Yang's research focuses primarily on the etiology and molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer, in addition to the genetics of chordoma and familial cutaneous malignant melanoma/dysplastic nevi syndrome.