Genetic and environmental causes of liver cancer in non-Hispanic Black people
Genomic and environmental drivers of HCC in Non-Hispanic Blacks: Nature and nurture
This project looks at how a person's genes and life exposures together lead to liver cancer in non-Hispanic Black adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192260 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to share medical records, a health and exposure history, and blood or tumor samples so researchers can link inherited DNA with tumor changes and life factors like infections, toxins, and body weight. The team will compare germline variants with the mutations and immune features found in tumors to see how these things interact. They will use these data to sort tumors into detailed subtypes and to identify biological pathways that affect response to current and future treatments. The work focuses specifically on non-Hispanic Black patients to fill gaps in knowledge about causes and treatment responses in this group.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are non-Hispanic Black adults with chronic liver disease or a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma who can provide medical records and blood or tumor samples.
Not a fit: People without liver disease, children, or those who need immediate emergency care are unlikely to gain direct benefits from this research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors pick better treatments and point to new targeted therapies that improve outcomes for Black patients with liver cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Genomic studies in other populations have revealed cancer drivers and informed therapies, but focused genomic and environment work in non-Hispanic Black patients with HCC is limited, making this partly proven and partly novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Branch, Andrea D. — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Branch, Andrea D.
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.