Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

My research interest concentrates on genetic and molecular epidemiology of cancer and other complex diseases, with an emphasis on colorectal cancer and melanoma. I try to identify and characterize genetic variants associated with cancer, understand how genetic susceptibility may be modified by environmental exposures and gene-gene interactions, and translate these findings into public health applications. I also have a particular interest in evaluating novel molecular prognostic markers and studying the molecular pathogenesis of cancer as an integrated part of genetic epidemiology. It is becoming increasingly evident that cancer represents a heterogeneous set of diseases with highly specific molecular signatures and phenotypes, and my research strategy is to exploit these specific phenotypes to gain insight into the epidemiology and pathogenesis of cancers.