Biomarkers Research
This stream of research aims at developing and validating biomarkers and incorporating them into epidemiological research, particularly longitudinal studies.
Examples of such research include:
- (a) EnviroGenoMarkers, a collaborative project in which genomics, metabonomics and transcriptomics are used to characterize exposure to environmental contaminants and identify intermediate markers that lead to chronic diseases;
- (b) studies on epigenomics (gene methylation patterns) in lung cancer conducted in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Gene-environment interactions are another stream of research that incorporates markers of susceptibility into epidemiological studies. Both candidate genes and signals from genome-wide investigations are used in models of gene-environment interactions and predictive models for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
In addition the Department EPH hosts a database of biomarker-based studies conducted in Europe, to be used for pooled analyses, set up within the ECNIS (www.ecnis.org) EC-sponsored Network. P Vineis coordinates with Pierre Hainaut (IARC, Lyon) the Molecular Biomarkers Working Group of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.
