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Research Description:
Our work has been focused on the variability of cancer risk in humans, particularly the variability that can be attributed to inherited factors. The primary questions we are working to answer include: 1) in what ways is predisposition to cancer inherited?; 2) how much of the cancer burden can be attributed to inherited cancer predisposition syndromes?; 3) what are the genetic mechanisms responsible for these predisposition syndromes?; and 4) how do they interact with environmental and lifestyle factors? We have also begun to investigate the inheritance of longevity in families, and the relationship of familial longevity to cancer risk. We work primarily with the Utah Population Database, a multigenerational genealogical database linked to birth certificate, death certificate, and cancer incidence data, and are currently engaged in both epidemiologic and genetic studies using these data.
Research Keywords:
Cancer Genetics, Epidemiology, Utah Population Database