image: Dr. Anna Gottschlich from Wayne State University's School of Medicine, received an NCI Career Award to support her research on the epidemiology of cancer health disparities and early detection and interception strategies to improve cancer equity.
Credit: Wayne State University
DETROIT – The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health has awarded Dr. Anna Gottschlich, assistant professor of oncology in the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Population Studies and Disparities Research Program, a five-year, $916,545 career development award to support her research on the epidemiology of cancer health disparities and early detection and interception strategies to improve cancer equity.
The goal of the study, “Investigation of socio-genomic associations related to survival among a population-based sample of those diagnosed with endometrial cancer in Metropolitan Detroit,” is to provide preliminary findings of the association between chronic stress, biological factors and clinical outcomes among women with endometrial cancer, furthering the field of research in improving outcomes for those with gynecologic cancers.
“I am very excited to have protected time to expand my knowledge around molecular cancer epidemiology and bioinformatics while conducting a study on socio-genomic factors related to survival among endometrial cancer patients in our catchment area,” Gottschlich said.
Among women with endometrial cancer, some high-risk populations have double the mortality rate compared to others, which cannot be completely explained by known social and biological factors. Socio-genomic studies, which investigate how social factors influence genomic and biologic activity, are critical to improving understanding of survival differences in women with endometrial cancer, without which improvements in outcomes will remain challenging.
“We hypothesize that chronic stress may modify the relationship between molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer and survival,” she said.
The project will use data from the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors cohort, which includes annual survey data, geocoded addresses, and longitudinal clinical and vital statistics data for 320 women with endometrial cancer living in metropolitan Detroit at diagnosis.
Study outcomes will inform study questions and provide preliminary evidence for future R01-level projects.
Dr. Gottschlich joined the School of Medicine faculty in September 2023.
“Career development awards from the National Institutes of Health are designed to foster the research and development of the next generation of outstanding scientists,” said Dr. Ezemenari M. Obasi, vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State. “I look forward to the important discoveries Dr. Gottschlich will make to help transform the health of many.”
The grant number for this National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health grant is CA303796.
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