DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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HPV 16 Variants Associated with Prognosis for Oropharyngeal Cancer
Human papillomavirus-driven oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), a type of throat cancer caused by oral HPV infection, is rapidly increasing in incidence in the US. This is the first study to sequence the HPV genome in a large number of HPV-OPC, and links HPV16 genetic variants to poorer patient survival. Median survival was 4 years for OPC patients with an HPV infection with one or more of eight specific viral genetic variants compared to 19 years for patients with infections without these variants.
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Uterine Cancer Death Rates Rising, Highest Among Black Women in the United States
A study led by Dr. Megan Clarke in the Clinical Epidemiology Unit, finds mortality rates from uterine cancer have been rising in the United States from 2010 to 2017, and are highest among non-Hispanic Black women. The higher death rates are driven by rising incidence of aggressive subtypes of uterine cancer, which are more commonly diagnosed in non-Hispanic Black women.
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2021 Outstanding Mentor Awards
Four investigators were recognized for outstanding mentorship in 2021: Jonas Almeida, Megan Clarke, Rena Jones, Minkyo Song. Read excerpts from the nominations prepared by their trainees.
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Spectrum of Skin Cancer Risk Characterized for Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
In the largest cohort study to date of solid organ transplant recipients, Michael Sargen, M.D., and colleagues characterized the spectrum of risk for common and rare non-keratinocyte skin cancers. Key risk factors that may contribute to elevated risk are viruses, UV radiation exposure, and immunosuppression.
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2022 ICIS Mentoring Award Goes to Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson received the 2022 International Cytokine & Interferon Society Mentorship Award in recognition of her significant contributions to the field of immunity and cancer genetics and training, nurturing, and guiding the next generation of scientists.
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2022 AACR Annual Meeting Features DCEG Research
Investigators and fellows presented their research at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.DCEG scientists presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting.
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Shahinaz Gadalla Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
In April 2022, Shahinaz Gadalla, Ph.D., M.B.Bch., was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch. Dr. Gadalla is a highly collaborative, internationally recognized physician scientist with expertise in cancer epidemiology and clinical medicine. She investigates the role of genetic factors in cancer etiology and explores elements that may modify disease risk among high-risk individuals.
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Sam Mbulaiteye Named 2022 Scientist of the Year by the Lymphoma Foundation of America
Dr. Mbulaiteye, senior investigator in the Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, was recently recognized by the Lymphoma Foundation of America with their 2022 Scientist of the Year Award. As a part of this award, he directed a donation from the foundation to a study site in Uganda for medical care for children with Burkitt lymphoma.
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2022 CCR-DCEG Flex Awards Announced
Three projects were funding through the Flex Award Program, including two investigations of health disparities. Investigators from DCEG: Drs. Jiyeon Choi, Maria Teresa Landi, Tongwu Zhang, Gretchen Gierach, Aimée R. Kreimer, Lisa Mirabello, and Mark Schiffman.
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Laura Beane Freeman Re-elected to Second Term as Women Scientist Advisor
Dr. Beane Freeman has been re-elected by her peers to a second term as DCEG Women Scientist Advisor (WSA).
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2021 Virtual Summer Internship Program
Thirty interns from around the U.S. joined DCEG for NCI’s first virtual summer internship program, organized collaboratively by DCEG, the Center for Cancer Training, the Frederick National Lab, and the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences.
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With Big Data Come Big Responsibilities
Data science provides a powerful transdisciplinary approach to data stewardship and analysis that allows researchers to take full advantage of the increasing scale of epidemiological data. DCEG investigators are implementing this approach across the Division by building collaborative data platforms and software tools for large-scale epidemiological research.
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Making Strides Toward Precision Medicine for Individuals with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
LFS research conducted in the Clinical Genetics Branch reveals nuanced cancer incidence patterns, key distinctions within the LFS population, and areas for improvement in TP53 variant classification and clinical management.
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President’s Cancer Panel Addresses Gaps in Cancer Screening for All Americans
In February 2022, the Panel released their report “Closing Gaps in Cancer Screening: Connecting People, Communities, and Systems to Improve Equity and Access,” in which they identify more effective and equitable implementation of cancer screening as a significant opportunity for the National Cancer Program, to accelerate the decline in cancer deaths and, in some cases, prevent cancer through detection and removal of precancerous lesions.
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2022 NCI Director's Intramural Innovation Awards
Ian Buller, Ph.D., Erping Long, M.D., Ph.D., Zeni Wu, Ph.D., M.P.H., Tongwu Zhang, Ph.D., and Wei Zhao, Ph.D., received the 2022 NCI Director’s Innovation Awards, designed to support development of highly innovative approaches and technology aimed at significant cancer–related problems.
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2021 NCI Director’s Award Ceremony, DCEG Staff Recognized
Several DCEG staff were honored at the 2021 NCI Director’s Awards ceremony for their efforts in advancing understanding of the etiology of multiple myeloma, non-smoking-related lung cancer; mosaic chromosomal alterations and risk of acquiring infectious disease; their work on The United States – Latin America Cancer Research Network Team; leadership on the Equity and Inclusion Program; and for years of continued service to the NCI.
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Study Suggests HPV Vaccine Would Prevent Most Cervical Cancers/Precancers Across Major U.S. Racial/Ethnic Groups
Investigators from the CDC, Biostatistics Branch, and Clinical Genetics Branch collaborated on a pooled analysis of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype studies in the U.S. and showed that among major racial and ethnic groups, at least 84% of cervical precancers and 90% of invasive cancers were attributed to HPV types targeted by the 9-valent HPV vaccine. Among non-Hispanic Black women, a higher proportion of squamous cervical precancers were attributed to non-vaccine types, especially HPV 35.
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Aimée Kreimer Elected to Executive Board of International Papillomavirus Society
Dr. Kreimer was elected to the position of secretary on the Executive Board of International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) at the 2021 annual meeting. IPVS is the global authority on papillomaviruses; its mission is to contribute to the elimination of papillomavirus-related diseases.
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Constanza Camargo Receives 2022 WSA Mentoring and Leadership Award
Maria Constanza Camargo, Ph.D., Earl Stadtman tenure-track investigator in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, was selected for the 2022 DCEG Women Scientist Advisor’s Mentoring and Leadership Award. This honor recognizes DCEG and CCR investigators for exceptional dedication, leadership, and tireless efforts to promote and nurture NCI women scientists at all stages of their careers.
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Jonathan Hofmann Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
Jonathan Hofmann, Ph.D., M.P.H., was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch. He is an internationally recognized leader in using molecular approaches to study the etiology of kidney cancer, multiple myeloma, and other malignancies.