2024 - News Updates
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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.
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Genomic Landscape of Sebaceous Tumors
Dr. Michael Sargen, in collaboration with investigators in the Center for Cancer Research, compared the genomic landscape of benign and malignant sebaceous tumors to identify molecular changes that could potentially be diagnostic biomarkers or targeted for therapy.
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Debra Silverman to Retire from the NCI After Over 50 Years
Dr. Debra Silverman will retire from the NCI after over 50 years of service and 16 years leading the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch. She dedicated her career to investigating occupational, environmental, and host factors associated with cancers of the bladder, lung, and pancreas. In addition, Dr. Silverman paved the way for other women to enter the field of biostatistics and epidemiology, shepherding junior investigators to leadership roles.
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Mark Purdue Appointed Director of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch
Dr. Purdue is an internationally recognized expert in the study of cancer associations with occupational and environmental exposures to chlorinated solvents, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other agents, and the etiology of kidney cancer.
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Megan Clarke Departs DCEG
Megan Clarke, former Earl Stadman investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch, began a new position at the pharmaceutical firm Abbvie in September 2024. During her tenure in DCEG, she combined molecular, clinical, and population-based approaches to address etiology, prevention, and early detection of anogenital and endometrial cancers. Her discoveries advanced understanding of natural history, influenced clinical management guidelines, and address cancer disparities.