Dominique Michaud
Tufts University, MA·Public Health & Epidemiology
Lung cancer kills more people in the US than any other cancer, causing about 22% of all cancer deaths. Annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans are recommended for older adults with a heavy smoking history.
- Fields
Public Health & Epidemiology
Medicine & Clinical Research
Genetics
- Topics
lung cancer
low-dose computed tomography
DNA methylation
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Feb 2028
What they work on
- Develop a pre-screening tool using blood leukocyte DNA methylation markers to sort high-risk NLST participants into finer risk categories and reduce the number of low-dose CT scans needed.
- Test whether DNA methylation markers in pre-screening blood samples can distinguish NLST participants with positive scans who developed lung cancer from those with false-positive results.
- Test whether DNA methylation markers can identify participants with negative low-dose CT scans who were later diagnosed with lung cancer, versus those with negative scans who stayed cancer-free.
More about the research
Screening remains controversial, though, because of high false-positive rates, radiation exposure and cost. Many people who develop lung cancer also never qualify for screening. A blood test that better identifies who is truly at high risk could make screening more effective.
Why it matters
A blood-based DNA methylation test could help doctors choose who should get LDCT lung cancer screening. That could reduce unnecessary scans, radiation and costs. It may also help separate true cancers from false alarms, and flag cancers that a negative scan missed, for current and former smokers being screened.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Jennifer Lund
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC·Public Health & Epidemiology
Estimate the real-world benefits and harms of low-dose CT lung cancer screening among people eligible for screening, using trial transport to adjust National Lung Screening Trial results to national survey populations.
Iakovos Toumazis
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, TX·Medicine & Clinical Research
Expand the ENGAGE lung cancer screening framework beyond age, sex and smoking history to include non-smoking risk factors such as race, family history and history of pulmonary disease.
Sarah Robertson
Dartmouth College, NH·Public Health & Epidemiology·Early-career
Transport the effects of lung cancer screening strategies from trials such as NLST to nationally representative target populations by combining information from claims, registries, and studies.
The school
Tufts University: 19 labs on PI Pages, $278M a year on research, 144 research doctorates a year.
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