Focus Areas

Tobacco Control

• Long-standing world-class expertise in tobacco research
  • Product testing
  • Biomarker development and application
  • Translation to policy

Environmental Causes of Cancer

• Our expertise in biomarkers relevant to environmental pollution
  • Volatile toxicants and combustion byproducts
  • Metals
  • Inflammation and oxidative stress
  • Cortisol (psychosocial stress)
• Center for Cancer Epidemiology (Mumbai)
  • Multiple ongoing cohorts (lung, esophageal, cervical, etc.)
  • Thousands of biological samples
  • Genetic data
• Ongoing laboratory capacity efforts at ACTREC

Infectious Agents and Cancer

• Our Strength
  • Institute of Molecular Virology
    • Focus- Viral Oncology, Emerging Viruses, Vaccine Development
    • https://www.virology.umn.edu/about
  • Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy
    • Focus on emerging infections (Ebola, COVID) and policy
    • https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/
  • Coordinating Center for Biometric Research
    • History of conducting international clinical trials in infectious disease 
    • http://ccbr.biostat.umn.edu/
  • Opportunities for collaboration in training of LMIC emerging leaders in oncology research 
    • Established Gynecologic Oncology fellowship training in Ethiopia (Dr. Ghebre)
    • Feb 2020, Organized African Regional Gynecology Oncology Fellowship Conference in Ethiopia (supported by International Gynecologic Cancer, German Society of Gynaecological Oncology, Ethiopian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
    • Dr. Ghebre is member of African Cancer Coalition and director of Gynecology Oncology Group within AORTIC
    • Institutional collaboration with University of Botswana and University of Rwanda to support Gynecologic Oncology Training