Epigentics and Female Reproductive Cancers

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): I am an Environmental Health scientist who has worked in epidemiology for the past ten years in governmental and academic settings. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Environmental Medicine in the School of Medicine, New York University. I was recruited at NYU to form the nucleus of a new Division of Molecular and Translational Medicine in Psychiatry, a combined effort of the Department of Psychiatry and the Cancer Institute. A major focus of this Division will be the epigenetic origins of disease. I became interested in epigenetic processes in cancer through my work on my dissertation and collaborations with my mentor and co-mentors on this K07. Currently, I am looking to obtain the necessary training in several fields including genetics, molecular biology and advanced statistical methods to pursue this research. Eventually I would like to become an independent investigator in the epigenetic origins of female reproductive cancers. I will need to obtain training at both my home institution (NYU), Columbia and Temple Universities so that I may work with some of the pre-eminent researchers in this field. At NYU I will be mentored and trained in advanced epidemiologic methods, ethics and molecular biology (Drs. Malaspina, Costa and Harlap). At Columbia I will be trained in the applied molecular epidemiology in the laboratory of Dr. R Santella and collaborate with Dr. I Mckeague in statistical methods. I will be trained in applied genetics in the laboratory of Dr. C. Sapienza of Temple University. My research will focus on two epigenetic processes: X-chromosome inactivation and loss of imprinting at IGF2. I will investigate in hospital-based case control study, the relation between skewed X-chromosome inactivation and ovarian cancer. Using discordant sister pairs, I will examine the association between breast cancer and skewed X-chromosome inactivation and loss of imprinting at IGF2.1 will also explore the epidemiology these phenomena focusing in particular on paternal and maternal age. Studying X-chromosome inactivation and loss of imprinting at IGF2 and their association with breast and ovarian cancer could serve two purposes: 1) to further understand the underlying biology of these cancers which could lead to better treatment modalities and 2) to identify an at risk group of women who could be targeted for earlier and more frequent screenings.