Genetic ancestry and racial differences in liver cancer risk and survival
Official title: The Impact of Genetic Ancestry on Racial Disparities in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk and Mortality
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11417235 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how a person’s genetic background might help explain why some racial groups have higher risk and worse survival from liver cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $237,065 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA255413-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417235 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma, and who are from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds represented in All of Us.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without these conditions or who are not part of the specific ancestry groups studied may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
The project will use a cohort of people with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma to explore how genetic ancestry and gene-environment factors relate to cancer risk and death. Researchers will genotype participants from the NIH All of Us study and analyze how ancestry interacts with known risk factors to influence outcomes. The goal is to identify ancestry-linked genes and pathways that could inform future prevention and treatment efforts. This is framed as the career development of a hepatologist to gain training in genetic epidemiology and longitudinal analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to more personalized risk assessment and targeted interventions for diverse patient populations at risk for liver cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests genetic ancestry can influence cancer risk and outcomes, but this study aims to deepen understanding in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jones, Patricia Denise — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Jones, Patricia Denise
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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.