Breast cancer genetics in women of African ancestry
African-ancestry Breast Cancer Genetic Consortium
This project uses deep whole-genome sequencing to find genetic changes that may raise breast cancer risk in women of African ancestry.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11225967 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project brings together data from dozens of studies to focus on breast cancer genetics in women of African ancestry. Researchers will perform deep whole-genome sequencing on thousands of women with and without breast cancer to look for rare single-letter changes and larger structural changes in DNA that earlier studies often missed. They will combine new sequencing with existing data and compare findings across African-ancestry and European-ancestry groups to better understand risk differences. The work is carried out by a consortium of hospitals and research centers so samples and health information come from many locations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women of African ancestry with breast cancer and women of African ancestry without cancer (controls) who can provide genetic samples and health information would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People without African ancestry or those seeking immediate new treatments are unlikely to directly benefit from this genetics-focused work right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve genetic risk tests and lead to more accurate screening and prevention for women of African ancestry.
How similar studies have performed: Previous large studies, mainly in European-ancestry groups, have found risk variants and smaller sequencing studies in African-ancestry women have shown promising leads, but large-scale whole-genome sequencing in this group is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zheng, Wei — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zheng, Wei
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.