My major research interest is in the epidemiology of biomarker research in colorectal and prostate cancer, specifically in the following areas: A) The landmark papers on the role of folate, homocysteine and related biochemical and genetic markers in the one-carbon metabolic pathway in coronary heart disease and colorectal cancer represent important advances in this field (orig. article #8,14,23,46,49,56); B) I made major contributions to elucidate the roles of insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, and IGF signaling pathway in risk of colorectal and prostate cancer and genetic and nutritional modifiers in this pathway (orig. article #19,28,33,45,54); C) My work (some with post doctoral trainees) on other nutritional biomarkers include fatty acids (orig. article #4,6,7,13,36), vitamin D (orig. article #10,16), dietary antioxidants such as carotenoids and selenium (orig. article # 18,47,55,61) and iron-related markers (editorial #6, orig. article #50,51,53) in association with several chronic diseases also had significant impact in the field of biomarker research.
I recently extended my biomarker research on prostate cancer incidence to study survival after diagnosis. In two on going NIH R01 grants, we are going to test some novel hypotheses regarding the role of obesity and related biomarkers of inflammation and cytokines (such as leptin and IL-6) in tumor development and cancer survival. New results of these research activities will be generated within the next couple of years.
I am the PI for two and co-investigator for six NIH grants. These grants focus on hormonal, nutritional, and genetic biomarkers of prostate and colorectal cancer risk. In these grants, we are currently collecting prostate cancer tumor blocks and will assess tumor biomarkers and prostate cancer outcomes in the Physicians' Health Study, a key component of the Harvard Prostate Cancer SPORE. I also actively participate in the Harvard Breast and Prostate Cancer Consortium Study, a multi-collaborative research project involving the resources of eight large prospective cohorts from the US and Europe.
Since Sept. 2003, together with Dr. Stempfer, we have been organizing the Harvard Prostate Cancer Epidemiology Working Group Monthly Meeting. Over the past year, this forum has been provided a good opportunity to foster close interactions among epidemiologists, pathologists, oncologists, geneticists and post doctoral fellows from different disciplines (the Channing Laboratory and Department of Pathology at the Brigham & Women's Hospital, the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the Broad Institute/MIT) to exchange ideas, provide updates on research progress, and stimulate further collaborations within the Harvard Medical Community.