How environment and social factors affect mammogram patterns
Environmental and social determinants of mammographic features
Researchers will look at how neighborhood, air pollution, income, and other social factors relate to mammogram features in women to better understand breast cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181488 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project links digital mammogram images with information about air quality, neighborhood conditions, education, income, and other social factors to see how they relate to mammogram patterns. The team will use advanced image analysis and deep learning to measure features like percent density and texture, and will track changes over time such as during the menopausal transition. They will analyze multiple exposures together rather than one at a time to identify which environmental or social factors are tied to higher-risk mammogram patterns. Findings could help explain geographic and socioeconomic differences in breast cancer risk and point to targets for prevention or personalized screening.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are women with digital mammograms and available residential or sociodemographic information, especially those with multiple screening images over time.
Not a fit: People without mammogram images, lacking location or social data, or not represented in the study datasets may not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal modifiable environmental or social factors linked to mammogram patterns and help tailor prevention or screening strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown links between mammographic density and some environmental or socioeconomic factors, but combining multiple exposures with advanced image and deep-learning analyses is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Laden, Francine — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Laden, Francine
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.