Energy Balance and Breast Cancer in Black & White Women

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): I seek five years of funding to develop research and teaching skills in cancer epidemiology and to obtain targeted training in energy metabolism, cancer biology, and breast physiology in order to integrate these disciplines with the epidemiology of breast cancer in black and white women. A mentoring team with extensive skills and experience in all of these disciplines will help guide my academic and teaching development. My Ph.D. in Epidemiology focused on reproductive health, and I have completed a Cancer Prevention Fellowship in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI. I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at MSU. Three research projects are proposed that investigate the relationship of energy balance and insulin resistance-related factors with the age-specific incidence of breast cancer in black and white women in the United States. The first uses data from the prospective Breast Cancer Detection Project (BCDDP) cohort study to examine the association of body size at different ages, diabetes, and dietary patterns related to insulin resistance, with the incidence of breast cancer in women. The second project uses data from the Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC), a low-fat dietary intervention clinical trial in girls 8-10 years of age, to examine the effect of diet on serum insulin, IGF-1 and leptin. Understanding the mechanisms that affect these factors in adolescence, may be particularly relevant to understanding later breast cancer risk. The third project will be a pilot study for a case-control study to examine the association of energy balance and insulin resistance-related factors with the incidence of breast cancer in black and white women in the Detroit SEER registry area. Effective cancer prevention requires a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates an understanding of both the molecular and social contexts of disease and bridges the gap between laboratory and social scientists. MSU and surrounding institutions, in collaboration with external advisors, offer an excellent environment for me to develop my skills and gain additional expertise to effectively integrate a multidisciplinary approach to cancer epidemiology and prevention.