This project expects to develop the career of the candidate through didacticand research activities that complement the candidate's 5-year goal of studyingfuranocoumarins and cancer prevention in humansand 10- year goal ofstudying diet patterns and protection against cancer. Specifically, the career developmentplan includes the following objectives: 1) acquire knowledge and skillsin biomarker development,2) develop skills in epidemiologic study of diet and cancer prevention, and 3) build interdisciplinaryresearch associations and collaborations. The research plan will utilize the extensive resources and expertise at the Universityof Minnesota Masonic CancerCenter, an NCIdesignated ComprehensiveCancerCenter,to address two specific aims.
The first aim i s to develop a urinary biomarker of dietary exposure to furanocoumarins which are a group of compoundsthat may decrease cancer risk through inhibiting.activation of carcinogens.
The second aim i s to validate the biomarker for use in epidemiologicstudies to generate more human data in this area ofcancer prevention research. Senior faculty from the MasonicCancer Center will provide scientific and professional guidance in addition to the data and urine samples from a large prospective cohort in Singapore. First,we will modify existing methods for furanocoumarin analysis ofplants and various human biospecimens and develop a method for use with pooled human urine samples spiked with the analytes of interest. After determinationof the necessary conditionsand steps for optimal characterization of each analyte, we will chemically validate the method usingurine samples from 10 individualsgiven controlled amounts of furanocoumarin food sources and study excretion time and dose response. Lastly,usingdiet intake data (obtained by food frequeny questionnaire) and urine samples from the Singapore Chinese HealthStudy, we will validate the use of the urinary furanocoumarin biomarker with spot urine samples. This will includeanalysis of furanocoumarin food sources from Singaporeto calculate furanocoumarin intake based on the food frequencyquestionnaire data.

Public Health Relevance

The results of this project will provide a much-needed tool for subsequent study of whether dietary furancoumarins can decrease the risk of cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States. The project will also expand the number of dietary biomarkers available and the ability to assess whether various diet patterns protect against cancer.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Academic/Teacher Award (ATA) (K07)
Project #
5K07CA128952-04
Application #
8305071
Study Section
Subcommittee G - Education (NCI)
Program Officer
Perkins, Susan N
Project Start
2009-09-24
Project End
2014-08-31
Budget Start
2012-09-01
Budget End
2013-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$148,953
Indirect Cost
$11,034
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Nutrition
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
555917996
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455