More information and a full updated listing of projects can be found on the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center website.
The Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS, U01CA202979, PIs: Zheng and Shrubsole) was launched in 2002 as one of the largest and most intensive studies ever to evaluate the determinants of cancer among African Americans and among low income adults regardless of race. Approximately 84,000 men and women aged 40-79 years, 2/3 of whom are African American, across 12 southern states (TN, KY, AR, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, and WV) have been enrolled in the SCCS, most (85%) from community health centers (CHCs) primarily serving America’s uninsured. Extensive baseline questionnaire data have been obtained, and biologic specimens (blood, urine, and/or buccal cells) have been collected and stored at VU for approximately 90% of participants. The SCCS contributes to multiple consortium projects and has spawned more than 130 publications. This cohort provides an unparalleled opportunity and resources for MAGEC trainees to develop skills and a career in cancer epidemiology, particularly in cancer disparities.
The Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS, UM1CA18291 , PI: Zheng) is a population-based prospective cohort study of approximately 75,000 Chinese women recruited from 1997-2000 and followed via multiple in-person surveys and record linkages with population-based registries. In addition to survey data, most study participants donated blood (75%), buccal cells (12%), and urine (87%) samples at baseline. GWAS data is available for near 9,500 SWHS participants. Over the years, data and biological samples collected in the SWHS have been used to support over 150 research projects and generated near 500 publications.
The Shanghai Men’s Health Study (SMHS, UM1 CA173640, PI: Shu) is a population-based cohort study of 61,480 men being conducted in parallel with the SWHS using similar study protocols. Study recruitment took place between 2001 and 2006. In addition to survey data, 75% of study participants provided a blood sample, nearly 90% a urine sample, and 22% a buccal cell sample. The cohort has been followed up with for cancer occurrence and deaths via linkage with the population-based Shanghai Cancer Registry and the Shanghai Vital Statistics Unit, as well as through visits to all living cohort members every 3-4 years. GWAS is available for approximate 4,000 SMHS participants. The SMHS has contributed to over 115 research projects, and more than 250 publications.
The Southern Environmental Health Study (UG3 CA265846, PIs. Zheng, and Shrubsole), funded in fall 2021, aims to recruit 50,000 participants, primarily from low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations, and obtain survey/environmental exposure, biological, and environmental samples to assess life-course exposures and to conduct a Deep-Exposome Study to identify exposure biomarkers and potential environmental carcinogens. Like the SCCS, this study would generate enormous resources for the investigation of the environmental and genetic contributions to cancer and other health risks as well as health disparities.
The Cohort to Augment the Understanding of Sarcoma Survivorship Across the Lifespan (CAUSAL) (UG3CA260318, PIs. Friedman, Shu, Park, and Pal) was funded in September 2021. With a goal of recruiting 1,800 sarcoma patients, CAUSAL would be the largest national resource for systematically investigating the influences of clinical and host characteristics, including genetics, as well as cancer treatments and social support on treatment response, recurrence, organ toxicity, function, quality of life, and survival among sarcoma patients. It will also be the largest clinical investigation to apply circulating tumor DNA to monitor disease progress and guide precision oncology in treating sarcoma patients.
Large-scale studies in eMERGE to discover the genetic determinants of uterine fibroids (R01HD093671, PIs: Velez Edwards and Edwards) We are conducting a large genome-wide association study and whole and exome genome next-generation sequencing using data from the eMERGE network to better understand the role of common and rare variants in uterine fibroid risk.
Breast Cancer Genetic Study in African-Ancestry (AA) Populations (R01CA202981, PIs: Zheng, Haiman, and Palmer) is a large consortium study in women of African-ancestry, including approximately 20,000 breast cancer patients and an equal number of controls to systematically search the whole genome using a next-generation sequencing approach to discover novel genetic susceptibility factors for breast cancer for AA women. This study also built a comprehensive reference panel for imputation and meta-analysis of GWAS data and used gene expression signatures to understand the mechanisms underlying the influence of germline variants on breast cancer biology.
Integrating Genomic and Transcriptomic Data to Identify Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes (R01CA235553, PIs: Zheng and Long) project applies genetically predicted gene expression data among multi-ancestry populations to discover breast cancer susceptibility genes.
Somatic mutations & their etiological determinants for breast cancer in African American women (R01CA228156 PIs: Yao, Carpten, Palmer, and Zheng) is a multi-center study to characterize the somatic mutation landscape for breast cancer in African American women and investigate genetic and lifestyle determinants for these mutations.
The Transcriptome-wide association study to identify susceptibility genes for colorectal cancer (R37CA227130, PI: Guo) is a multiethnic study, including 58,131 colorectal cancer cases and 67,347 controls from European descents, 23,572 cases and 48,700 controls of east Asians, and 4,014 cases and 16,000 controls of African Americans. It incorporates genetic predicted gene expression and GWAS data to identify CRC susceptibility genes.
The Integrative single-cell atlas of host and microenvironment in colorectal neoplastic transformation (U2CCA233291, PIs: Coffey, Lau, and Shrubsole) project combines tissue genomic data with epidemiologic data to better understand progression from colorectal pre-malignant lesions to cancer and to inform new colorectal cancer prevention strategies.
Individual and social contextual factors in relation to DNA methylation, biological aging, and lung cancer risk (R01MD015396, PIs. Cai and Long) is a social epigenomics study aiming to investigate individual and social contextual factors in relation to DNA methylation, biological age, and lung cancer risk.
DNA Methylation Markers, Genes and Breast Cancer Risk (R01 CA247987, PIs: Long/Ye) is a methylome-wide study focusing on identifying novel genes and methylation loci for breast cancer risk.
Uncovering colorectal cancer etiology and biology by integrating proteomics with other omics data (R01CA269589 PI. Guo) aims to discover proteins associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) via integration of multiomics data and investigate the roles of these proteins in colorectal tumor development, and evaluate their key cellular functions.
Gut microbiota-related mechanisms that impact colorectal cancer risk after bariatric surgery (R01CA275864, PIs: Yu/Shu/Fynn) This projects leverages a longitudinal cohort of bariatric surgery patients and applies multi-omics approaches and fecal microbiota transplant experiments to generate novel knowledge regarding gut microbiota-related mechanisms that impact colorectal cancer risk after bariatric surgery.
Use of Circulating MicroRNAs for Early Detection and Risk Assessment for Pancreatic Cancer (R01CA227133, PIs: Shu/Setiawan) is a case-control study nested in 5 prospective cohort study focusing on discover and validate circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer early detection and risk assessment.
Searching the blood metabolome to identify risk biomarkers for biliary tract cancer (BTC, U01CA262678, PIs: Shu/Cai/ Zheng) is an international consortium study aiming to systematically search and validate novel biomarkers for biliary tract cancer risk in order to design cost- effective strategies for BTC prevention