DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Meredith Shiels Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
Dr. Shiels, an expert on the descriptive epidemiology of cancer and mortality in the United States, was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch.
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Chanock Explores Genetics of Cancer Susceptibility
In April 2021, Stephen J. Chanock, M.D., gave a Clinical Center Grand Rounds Great Teachers lecture and discussed his professional journey, career advice, a history lesson and decades of research.
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DCEG Staff Gather in Virtual Town Hall Meetings, 2021 Spring and Summer
At the 2021 Spring and Summer town halls, Stephen Chanock, M.D., recognized staff with the following awards: DCEG Outstanding Mentor Award, 2022 NIH Fare Awards, and Outstanding Poster Award. In addition, he announced the appointment of Maria Teresa Landi, M.D., Ph.D. as the Division’s Senior Advisor for Genomic Epidemiology.
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Michael Sargen Appointed Assistant Clinical Investigator
In May 2021, Michael Sargen, M.D., was appointed assistant clinical investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch (CGB). He will develop a translational program focused on understanding the etiology of skin cancer and accelerating the development of clinical trials.
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Former NCI Scientist William Blot Retires after a Long, Celebrated Career
Dr. William Blot made seminal contributions to the development of the intramural epidemiologic research program at NCI, including, among others, studies to explain geographic patterns of U.S. cancer mortality and new insights into carcinogenic hazards, such as smokeless tobacco associated with oral cancer and arsenical air pollution and asbestos in relation to lung cancer. He recently retired amid accolades for his many accomplishments.
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Mentorship at DCEG: A Tradition of Excellence, ITEB
This is the second installment of the Mentorship at DCEG: A Tradition of Excellence series. Gretchen Gierach, Ph.D., M.P.H., Chief of the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch, and mentees Brittny Davis Lynn, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Mustapha Abubakar, M.D., Ph.D., describe their training and mentoring experiences at DCEG.
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Yei Eun Shin, New Tenure-track Investigator in Biostatistics
Yei Eun Shin was appointed tenure-track investigator in the Biostatistics Branch in Spring 2021. Dr. Shin will design complex models to study the impact of spatiotemporal exposures in epidemiological cohort studies such as physical activity and light exposures on risk of cancer and other diseases.
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Blanche Alter Retires after 21 Years of Service at the NCI
In June 2021, Blanche P. Alter, M.D., M.P.H., senior clinician in the Clinical Genetics Branch, retired 21 years of service at the National Cancer Institute.
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2021 Intramural Research Awards
DCEG Intramural Research Awards are competitive funding opportunities designed to foster creative, high-impact research by fellows and tenure-track investigators.
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2021 NCI Symposium on Cancer Health Disparities
In May 2021, the 3rd annual symposium focused on cancer health disparities in rural and Native populations, financial toxicity, evidence-based strategies to reduce disparities, and more. The event was coordinated by a planning committee that included Eboneé Butler and Michael Cook from DCEG.
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Strategic Plan Outlines Research Priorities
The five-year strategic plan outlines the critical elements to evaluate emerging exposures, including novel biomarkers, employing cutting-edge exposure assessment for a research program that utilizes the full potential of new analytic technologies and data sources. A key focus is a research program that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. population.
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Choonsik Lee Appointed to ICRP Committee 2, Doses from Radiation Exposure
Dr. Choonsik Lee, head of the Dosimetry Unit in the Radiation Epidemiology Branch, will serve the 2021-2025 term on the International Committee on Radiologic Protection, Committee 2: Doses from Radiation Exposure.
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Chromosomal Changes in White Blood Cells May Increase Risk of Infections
Postdoctoral fellow Shu-Hong Lin, Ph.D., M.S., and Earl Stadtman tenure-track investigator Mitchell Machiela, Sc.D., M.P.H., in the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch analyzed nearly 770,000 individuals across five biobanks and find mosaic chromosomal alterations may increase the risk of different types of infections, including severe COVID-19.
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2021 Annual Fellows’ Symposium Focuses on Cancer Survivorship
The theme was “The Lifetime Impact of Cancer: Experiences in survivorship research, advocacy, and policy.” Presenters included invited outside speakers and Dr. Amy Berrington, Chief of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch.
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2021 Virtual AACR Annual Meeting Features DCEG Research
Stephen J. Chanock, M.D. Director of DCEG, received the AACR/American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, while fellows Jeanny Wang, M.P.H., and Minkyo Song, M.D., Ph.D. received scholar in training awards.
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2021 Staff Scientist/Staff Clinician Retreat
The 17th annual event focused on “Intramural Research in the Era of COVID-19.” Dr. Douglas R. Lowy, Principal Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute, delivered the keynote address. Drs. Jill Koshiol and Lisa Mirabello from DCEG gave presentations on recent scientific insights.
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Sarah Jackson Becomes an Independent Research Scholar
Sarah Jackson, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in IIB, was inducted into the NIH Independent Research Scholar Program, sponsored by the Office of Intramural Research. Dr. Jackson studies sex differences in cancer incidence and cancer risk among transgender individuals.
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Awareness Day for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: 5/3 for TP53
Inaugural Li-Fraumeni syndrome Awareness Day featured health education materials for clinicians, patients, and families, and was dedicated to the researchers who identified LFS in 1969 at the NCI: Drs. Frederick Li and Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr.
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New Radiation Society ISoRED Begins 2021 with Webinar Series
REB experts presented “The Chernobyl Accident: Radiation and Health,” the first in the webinar series, “Community Building in Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry Research,” sponsored by the International Society for Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry (ISoRED). Dr. Amy Berrington talked about the society on the Physics World podcast.
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Higher Body Mass Index May Increase Risk of Second Cancer in Breast Cancer Survivors
Investigators in the Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch and Radiation Epidemiology Branch find that increasing body mass index may increase the risk of second cancers, including obesity-related cancers, second breast cancer, and estrogen receptor positive second breast cancer.