Making genetic cancer risk scores work better for people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds
Leveraging Prospective Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts and Novel Methods to Improve Polygenic Risk Scores
This project will create improved genetic risk scores for cancer that are designed to be more accurate for people of African, Asian, Hispanic, and other non‑European ancestries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129837 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine genetic and health data from six large, long‑running U.S. cohorts to build and test new polygenic risk scores across different racial and ethnic groups. They will use advanced statistical methods that account for ancestry, admixture, and environmental and social factors. The team will compare new scores to existing ones to find approaches that reduce bias and improve prediction for underrepresented populations. The overall aim is to produce risk tools that better identify people at higher cancer risk so prevention and screening can be more tailored.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds—especially African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, and other non‑European ancestry groups—who are part of or similar to long‑term epidemiologic cohorts would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People whose genetic ancestry is predominantly European or those without available genetic data are less likely to see immediate improvements from these new scores.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make genetic risk tools more accurate and fair for underrepresented groups, helping guide earlier screening and prevention for people at higher cancer risk.
How similar studies have performed: Many prior polygenic risk score studies showed promise in European ancestry groups, but applying and validating PRS in diverse populations is newer and less proven.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Fei — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Chen, Fei
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.