My research and career focus is on predicting response to cancer treatment, with a specific concentration on adverse effects that negatively impact quality of life. I have been trained in cancer biology and genetic epidemiology, and my long-term career goal is to establish an NCI-supported independent research program focused on development and clinical implementation of genetic tests that predict for cancer treatment outcomes. My short-term research interests focus specifically on genetic predictors of response to radiation treatment. This area of research, termed 'radiogenomics', is an exciting, and relatively new field. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a clinically useful genetic test that can stratify cancer patients as to their risk of developing adverse radiotherapy effects. Such a test could be used to provide information to individuals receiving a cancer diagnosis that will help them, along with their physician, choose the best course of treatment that will minimize adverse effects. This work has potential to significantly improve quality-of-life for millions of cancer survivors. My immediate goal within the context of this K07 award is to develop and test integrative risk models, based on genetic and non-genetic risk factors, for development of urinary, rectal and sexual adverse effects of radiotherapy used in treatment of prostate cancer. The proposed research aims to 1) develop risk models using the a large set of existing radiogenomics datasets, leveraging valuable resources of the NCI-supported Radiogenomics Consortium; and 2) test these risk models in an independent, prospective study conducted at the University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Institute. The proposed study is expected to yield important results as well as provide additional experience and training needed to prepare me to embark on an independent career. My research activities will be complemented by mentorship, didactic coursework and attendance of workshops and national meetings. I have assembled an outstanding mentor team comprised of leaders in clinical cancer research, radiation biology and oncology, and prostate cancer. The University of Rochester Medical Center and Wilmot Cancer Institute provide an outstanding environment in which to perform this important work and train to become a leader in clinical translational cancer research.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed project aims to develop and test integrative risk models, based on genetic and non-genetic risk factors, for development of adverse effects commonly experienced by men treated with radiotherapy for prostate cancer. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a clinically useful genetic test that would provide information to cance patients and their health care providers so that they can choose the best course of treatment that will minimize adverse effects. This work has potential to significantly improve quality-of-lif for millions of cancer survivors.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Academic/Teacher Award (ATA) (K07)
Project #
5K07CA187546-05
Application #
9767708
Study Section
Subcommittee I - Transistion to Independence (NCI)
Program Officer
Perkins, Susan N
Project Start
2015-09-18
Project End
2020-08-31
Budget Start
2019-09-01
Budget End
2020-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Rochester
Department
Radiation-Diagnostic/Oncology
Type
School of Medicine & Dentistry
DUNS #
041294109
City
Rochester
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14627
Kerns, Sarah L; Fung, Chunkit; Monahan, Patrick O et al. (2018) Cumulative Burden of Morbidity Among Testicular Cancer Survivors After Standard Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Multi-Institutional Study. J Clin Oncol 36:1505-1512
Lee, Sangkyu; Kerns, Sarah; Ostrer, Harry et al. (2018) Machine Learning on a Genome-wide Association Study to Predict Late Genitourinary Toxicity After Prostate Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 101:128-135
Matejcic, Marco; Saunders, Edward J; Dadaev, Tokhir et al. (2018) Germline variation at 8q24 and prostate cancer risk in men of European ancestry. Nat Commun 9:4616
Kerns, Sarah L; Chuang, Kuang-Hsiang; Hall, William et al. (2018) Radiation biology and oncology in the genomic era. Br J Radiol 91:20170949
Dadaev, Tokhir; Saunders, Edward J; Newcombe, Paul J et al. (2018) Fine-mapping of prostate cancer susceptibility loci in a large meta-analysis identifies candidate causal variants. Nat Commun 9:2256
Kang, John; Rancati, Tiziana; Lee, Sangkyu et al. (2018) Machine Learning and Radiogenomics: Lessons Learned and Future Directions. Front Oncol 8:228
Schumacher, Fredrick R; Al Olama, Ali Amin; Berndt, Sonja I et al. (2018) Association analyses of more than 140,000 men identify 63 new prostate cancer susceptibility loci. Nat Genet 50:928-936
Fung, Chunkit; Sesso, Howard D; Williams, Annalynn M et al. (2017) Multi-Institutional Assessment of Adverse Health Outcomes Among North American Testicular Cancer Survivors After Modern Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 35:1211-1222
Oh, Jung Hun; Kerns, Sarah; Ostrer, Harry et al. (2017) Computational methods using genome-wide association studies to predict radiotherapy complications and to identify correlative molecular processes. Sci Rep 7:43381
Azria, David; Lapierre, Ariane; Gourgou, Sophie et al. (2017) Data-Based Radiation Oncology: Design of Clinical Trials in the Toxicity Biomarkers Era. Front Oncol 7:83

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