DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Higher Daily Step Count Linked with Lower All-Cause Mortality
Pedro Saint-Maurice, Ph.D., Charles Matthews, Ph.D., and collaborators find taking more steps daily improves life expectancy.
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Leveraging Genetics to Study African Ancestry in the Americas
Meredith Yeager, in the Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, in collaboration with researchers in the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, conducted a genetic study to determine how different African groups contributed to the genetic structure of Caribbean, as well as, North, Central, and South American populations.
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Laura Beane Freeman elected Women Scientist Advisor
In March 2019, Laura Beane-Freeman, Ph.D., was elected to serve as a Women Scientist Advisor for a term of three years.
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NIH study provides genetic insights into osteosarcoma in children
Lisa Mirabello, Ph.D., senior investigator and Sharon Savage, M.D., branch chief, in the Clinical Genetics Branch, conducted a next-generation exome sequencing study of patients with osteosarcoma and found that 28% of patients carried a rare pathogenic or likely pathogenic germline variant in a cancer-susceptibility gene.
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HLA-DPB1 Variants May Increase Risk of Severe Aplastic Anemia, Study Finds
Genetic variants in HLA-DPB1 are associated with increased risk of severe aplastic anemia and may offer etiologic insights, according to findings in The American Journal of Human Genetics on February 6, 2020.
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Retrospective on the Informatics Tool Challenge: Driving Innovation and Creativity at DCEG
The Informatics Tool Challenge, launched in 2014, provides a unique, supplementary funding source for DCEG researchers seeking to create novel tools to enhance data collection, analysis, and other avenues of investigation. A sampling of tools that illustrate the growth and success of the Challenge are described.
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Understanding the Role of Physical Activity, Obesity, and Diet in Cancer: Profile of Tenure-track Investigator Steven Moore
Tenure-track investigator, Steven C. Moore, Ph.D., M.P.H, has built a multidisciplinary research program in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch focused on understanding the contributions of physical activity, obesity, and diet to human cancer and overall health.
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Progress Assessing Cancer Risk Using Clinical Practice Research Datalink
DCEG scientists use data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink to investigate risk factors and exposures that may contribute to cancer risk, ranging from medication usage to genetic cancer predisposition.
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APOBEC3-Induced Mutations in HPV 16 Viral Clearance
Bin Zhu, in the Biostatistics Branch, and Lisa Mirabello, in the Clinical Genetics Branch, conducted the largest HPV 16 whole-genome sequencing study to evaluate the contribution of genetic variation in HPV 16 to infection outcome. They found APOBEC3-induced mutations associated with benign cervical infections.
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Conversation with Former Fellow David Wheeler, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H.
A brief interview with former fellow, David Wheeler, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H.
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Conversation with Former Fellow Alison Mondul, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
A brief interview with former fellow, Alison Mondul, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.
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Neelam Giri and Blanche Alter Receive FLEX Award for Study on Metformin Use as Cancer Prevention in Fanconi Anemia Patients
In February 2020, Neelam Giri and Blanche Alter received the CCR-DCEG FLEX award for their project investigating metformin use as prevention of oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients with Fanconi anemia.
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Blanche Alter and Robert Hoover Elected to Association of American Physicians
In February 2020, Blanche P. Alter and Robert N. Hoover were elected to the prestigious American Association of Physicians, a society of America’s leading physician-scientists.
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Decline in U.S. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rates
Overall U.S. hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence rates plateaued in 2013 and dropped 4% in 2016 according to findings published in Gastroenterology on January 19, 2020.
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Metformin Use for Type 2 Diabetes May Reduce Cancer Risk in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Type 2 diabetes in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 was associated with excess risk of cancer, but metformin treatment may reduce this risk, according to findings in the International Journal of Cancer on November 20, 2019.
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Elizabeth Platz Delivers Seminar on Trans-Disciplinary Epidemiology Research on Prostate Cancer
Elizabeth Platz, Sc.D., Deputy Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, spent two days at DCEG as a Visiting Scholar in December 2019. Learn more about her visit.
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Lindsay Morton Appointed Deputy Chief of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch
Lindsay Morton, Ph.D., has been appointed Deputy Chief of the Radiation Epidemiology Branch as of January 7, 2020.
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Martha Linet Retires from DCEG after 33 Years of Service to the NCI
Martha Linet, M.D., M.P.H., Senior Investigator and former Branch Chief in the Radiation Epidemiology Branch (REB), retired in January 2020 after 33 years of service to the National Cancer Institute.
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Ruth Kleinerman Retires From DCEG
Ruth A. Kleinerman, Ph.D., M.P.H., staff scientist and deputy chief in the Radiation Epidemiology Branch (REB) will retire at the end of 2019 after 40 years of service. Dr. Kleinerman is widely recognized for her work on treatment-related second cancers.
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Anal Cancer Incidence and Deaths Are Rising in the United States
The number of cases and deaths from anal cancer have been on the rise in the United States since 2001, according to a new study. The increases have been especially rapid in adults over the age 50 and young black men.