DCEG News Updates
The latest news and research findings from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
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Michael Sargen Appointed Lasker Clinical Research Scholar
Michael Sargen, M.D., has been promoted to Lasker Clinical Research Scholar, a tenure-track position in the Clinical Genetics Branch in December 2024. He is an expert in the clinical, histopathologic, and genetic characteristics of melanoma-prone families. He also uses epidemiologic and molecular approaches to investigate risk factors for sebaceous carcinoma and other rare cutaneous malignancies in children and adults.
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Hispanic/Latino Population Researchers Convene to Advance Health Equity
The objectives of the meeting, organized by the NIH Hispanic Health Research Scientific Interest Group, were to learn about existing research projects across the NIH and to promote trans-NIH research collaborations to address health disparities and inequities among Hispanic/Latino populations.
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Constanza Camargo Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
In December, Dr. Constanza Camargo was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch (MEB). Dr. Camargo is an internationally recognized expert on the epidemiology of gastric cancer, an understudied malignancy with high mortality coupled with substantial economic and social costs.
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Patricia Ganz Presents Research on Cancer Survivorship
Dr. Patricia Ganz presented an overview of her research investigating long-term and late effects of treatment for breast cancer in a talk entitled, “‘Not Just Tired’: The Biology of Fatigue and Cognitive Changes after Breast Cancer Treatment.” She then met with DCEG scientists at all levels to talk about opportunities, challenges, and strategic approaches to survivorship research.
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Tool Estimates Colorectal Cancer Survival for Patients in Need of Organ Transplantation
The new web-based tool, developed by Dr. Eric Engels and colleagues, provides estimates that a colorectal cancer patient will not die from their cancer in the next five years, calculated both at the time of their cancer diagnosis and updated to accommodate the passage of time since their cancer diagnosis. The authors illustrate how these probabilities can inform organ transplant guidelines and help clinicians decide when it is safe to offer a transplant for individual patients with a history of colorectal cancer.
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2025 Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fellows Announced
Drs. Emily Pearce, Jessica Scales, and Isabelle van der Velpen were selected for the 2025 Sallie Rosen Kaplan Fellowship program. The program prepares female postdoctoral fellows for the transition to independent biomedical research careers through mentoring and networking opportunities, and seminars and workshops designed to strengthen leadership, time management, and self-promotional skills.
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Ancestry-adjusted Model to Facilitate Patient Engagement in Lung Cancer Prevention
A new ancestry-adjusted risk prediction model, Genomic-informed Care for Motivating High Risk Individuals Eligible for Evidence-based Prevention (GREAT), may aid patients in decision-making around lung cancer prevention. The model and its performance are described in a paper published November 8, 2024, in the journal eBioMedicine.
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HPV Single-Dose Protection: JNCI Monograph Summarizes the Evidence
Aimée Kreimer and fellow guest editors published, “State of the Science of Single-Dose Prophylactic HPV Vaccination,” a Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monograph comprised of 13 studies which together update the state of the science on single-dose HPV vaccination since World Health Organization’s recommendation in 2022 of an alternative single-dose schedule.
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Physical Activity, Metabolic Adaptation, and Risk of Breast Cancer
A new study by Dr. Eleanor Watts and investigators in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch explores how physical activity influences metabolic pathways and how these changes might lower breast cancer risk. Higher physical activity was associated with a broad range of metabolic adaptations, highlighting potential role of fatty acid metabolism in breast cancer prevention.
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Mary Ward Retires from the NCI
Dr. Ward retired on October 31, 2024, after 30 years of federal service. She investigated environmental and occupational causes of cancer, with special emphasis on drinking water contaminants, pesticides, and other chemicals in relation to the etiology of childhood leukemia, gastrointestinal cancers, and thyroid cancer.
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Stephen Chanock Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Dr. Stephen Chanock, director of DCEG, was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine on October 21, 2024 during their annual meeting.
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2024 iCURE Scholars Welcomed to NCI and DCEG
Tawnjerae Joe and Douglas Monroe are the 2024 incoming NCI Intramural Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (iCURE) Program Scholars.
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2024 NCI Principal Investigators Retreat
The 2024 NCI Principal Investigators Retreat gathered principal investigators from the two intramural divisions of NCI, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics and the Center for Cancer Research. The retreat was held at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, on October 15, 2024.
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2025 DCEG Fellows' Awards for Research Excellence
The 2025 DCEG Fellows' Award for Research Excellence (DFARE) recognizes the outstanding scientific research performed by DCEG fellows and provides funding for travel to scientific meetings or conferences.
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Rena Jones Awarded Scientific Tenure by the NIH
Dr. Rena Jones was awarded scientific tenure by the NIH and promoted to senior investigator in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch in October 2024. She studies the effects of environmental exposures on cancer risk.
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2025 NCI Director’s Intramural Innovation Awards
Tongwu Zhang, Batel Blechter, Thong Luong, and Maya Spaur received 2025 NCI Director’s Intramural Innovation Awards, which support the development of highly innovative approaches and technology aimed at significant cancer–related problems.
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Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Melanocytic Tumors
A multidisciplinary panel of experts, convened by the Children’s Oncology Group, has published consensus guidelines for diagnostic evaluation and surgical management of pediatric melanocytic tumors.
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2024 Summer Internship Program in DCEG
In the summer of 2024, 30 interns from 11 states and the District of Columbia, came to do research in every branch of DCEG as well as in the Trans-Divisional Research Program.
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Optimizing the Workforce: The Importance of Fellows
Fellows are an integral part of the interdisciplinary teams conducting cutting-edge research in DCEG. Continually recruiting and training talented fellows is vital for optimizing the Division’s workforce. In early 2024, DCEG published four videos outlining some of the Division’s values and the advantages a DCEG fellowship offers, as expressed by fellows, investigators, and Division’s Office of Education staff.
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Single Cell Atlas Characterizes Mechanisms of Lung Cancer Risk Variants
Multiple genetic loci are associated with lung cancer risk, but the underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Dr. Jiyeon Choi from the Laboratory of Translational Genomics and her colleagues analyzed normal lung cells from ever- and never-smokers using single-cell multiomics. The data highlighted cell-type-specific gene regulation underlying lung cancer susceptibility.