Grant Number:	1R03CA252788-01 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Heck, Julia
Organization:	University Of North Texas
Project Title:	Metabolomic Profiling of Retinoblastoma (MPR)
Fiscal Year:	2020

Project Abstract The Smoking and Embryonal Tumor (SETs) study is a population-based study of retinoblastoma among California children. California has unique resources: 1) a large population allowing for sufficient cases of disease to study rare cancers; 2) stored neonatal blood spots that the state makes available for research; and 3) a Cancer Registry operating since 1988. We have almost a decade of experience studying the epidemiology of retinoblastoma in California and worldwide and studying environmental and dietary exposures. Using funding from California’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, we previously conducted broad- scale metabolomics of biosamples to examine biomarkers of tobacco use in 498 cases and 895 controls. We propose to employ these data in a new and innovative manner combining our expertise in retinoblastoma epidemiology with the resources in Dr. Jones’ laboratory to identify metabolomics exposure markers and potential disease biomarkers for pediatric retinoblastoma. Metabolomics data analyses will be conducted in a targeted as well as untargeted manner to identify and quantify a number of prenatal exposures and their metabolites in neonatal blood spots. This novel approach will be used to identify exposure and disease ‘signatures’ from metabolites in human metabolic pathways and environmental exposures. This will help us test existing and generate new hypotheses about maternal exposures (e.g. diet, environmental exposures) and metabolic states that affect cancer development in the offspring. We expect this application to encourage environmental policies and provide strategies for population-based prevention of cancer.





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