Director: Fred F. Kadlubar, Ph.D.

The strategic goals of the Division of Molecular Epidemiology are: 1) the identification of genetic polymorphisms that influence drug and carcinogen metabolism, individual cancer susceptibility, and therapeutic drug efficacy; 2) the conduct of epidemiological studies for post-market surveillance of chemical toxicants found in foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices; 3) human exposure biomonitoring and DNS adduct detection; 4) the extrapolation of the results of animal bioassays and of mechanistic studies to humans; and 5) the development and validation of "DNA Microarray Technology" for human diagnostics.

The intent is to better understand the mechanisms of human carcinogenesis, to provide and estimation of human exposure to direct and indirect-acting carcinogens, to assess the importance of inter-individual differences in carcinogen and drug bioactivation, detoxification, or induced changes in gene expression, and to suggest intervention strategies for human cancer prevention. Accordingly, research has provided new knowledge on the identification of subpopulations that are not only more susceptible to chemical carcinogens, but also those that are likely to experience adverse drug reactions or decreased therapeutic drug efficacy. Research has been focused on the foodborne heterocyclic amines, aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and on widely-used drugs including selected benzodiazapines, antihistamines, drugs inducing peroxisomal proliferation or oxidative stress, estrogens, anti-estrogens and endocrine disruptors, as well as on tobacco usage. Projects on the etiology of human cancers of the colon/rectum, pancreas, larynx, breast, ovary, prostate, lung, urinary bladder, bone marrow, and esophagus are ongoing.

The NCTR Research Plans and Accomplishments Document contains information on the latest accomplishments and plans for the Division of Molecular Epidemiology as well as project and publication listings.