Understanding genetic risk for prostate cancer across diverse ancestries
Multiethnic GWAS and TWAS to Inform Risk Prediction for Prostate Cancer
This project looks for genetic differences linked to prostate cancer risk in men from African, Asian, Latino, and European backgrounds to help make risk predictions more accurate for everyone.
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-11401267 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are combining and expanding genetic data from tens to hundreds of thousands of men from many ancestry groups to find DNA variants tied to prostate cancer risk and aggressive disease. They will use large-scale genome-wide scans and gene-based analyses (including transcriptome-based methods) with a multiethnic reference panel to improve discovery across populations. The work focuses on increasing representation of men of African, Asian, Latino, and European ancestry so results apply more fairly to different groups. Findings could guide better genetic risk scores and explain why prostate cancer rates differ between populations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be men of diverse ancestry—especially African/African American, Asian, Latino, or European backgrounds—who are willing to provide genetic samples or who already have genetic data linked to prostate cancer status.
Not a fit: People who are not men or who have health issues unrelated to prostate cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more accurate, ancestry-informed genetic risk scores that help personalize screening and early detection for prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genome-wide studies have successfully identified many prostate cancer risk variants—mostly in European populations—so expanding multiethnic sampling is a proven strategy to find new and ancestry-specific risk signals.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Haiman, Christopher Alan — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Haiman, Christopher Alan
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.