University of Chicago

Department of Medicine, Section of Genetic Medicine

Our research focus is to formally evaluate genetic mechanisms involved in complex diseases.

Kittles Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory

Our lab focus is to formally evaluate if inherited DNA changes in candidate genes involved in biological pathways related to androgen synthesis and metabolism, cell growth, inflammation, vitamin D synthesis, and carcinogen metabolism are associated with prostate cancer risk. We are exploring sequence variation within these candidate genes in a well-characterized set of ethnically diverse prostate cancer patients and healthy men. In an on-going project we are examining the effects of serum Vitamin D, UV exposure, skin color, and genes on prostate cancer risk in a large population based study of men. Other projects include understanding how genetic variation is structured across human populations and how that variation contributes to inter-individual variation in disease susceptibility and other phenotypes such as drug response.