Molecular Signatures of Exposure in Cancer | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Molecular Signatures of Exposure in Cancer | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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Molecular Signatures of Exposure in Cancer
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A Joint NIEHS and NCI Workshop
Thursday & Friday, June 29 – 30, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT
Virtual
Workshop Materials
Workshop Report
(2MB)
Workshop Purpose
The workshop assessed the current state of the science of using signatures from “omic” data types to link environmental exposures to cancer and explore potential uses of such signatures of carcinogenic exposure to aid cancer prevention. The meeting brought together computational biologists, epidemiologists, exposure scientists, and cancer researchers to identify key questions, knowledge gaps and opportunities for the field. Presentations were concept-oriented with selective use of scientific data to illustrate key points. While the meeting focused on linking exposure signatures to cancer, a range of technologies, models, and exposures were considered.
The workshop was organized by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer and the Environment Working Group (CEWG). The goal of the CEWG was to promote sustained collaboration between NIEHS and NCI at the interface of cancer and the environment.
Workshop Goals
Defined the state of the science of using molecular signatures to link environmental exposures to cancer.
Prioritized the most pressing needs and opportunities that if addressed will augment progress in identifying molecular signatures of exposure in cancer.
Explored potential applications of using molecular signatures of exposure to improve cancer prevention.
Agenda
The final agenda is linked at the top of this page. Workshop sessions covered the following areas:
Mutational signatures of exposure in cancer.
Other data types as signatures of exposure in cancer.
Computational challenges and integrating multi-omics to identify signatures.
Challenges in tracking signatures of exposures.
Population-based cancer studies.
Workshop summary and future directions.
Workshop Co-Chairs:
Hannah Carter, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Cheryl Walker, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Invited Discussants:
Ludmil Alexandrov, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Serena Nik-Zainal, Ph.D., University of Cambridge
Allan Balmain, Ph.D., FRS, University of California, San Francisco
Maria (Tere) Landi, M.D., Ph.D., National Cancer Institute
Scott Auerbach, Ph.D., National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Ting Wang, Ph.D., Washington University
Ben Gewurz, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard University
Michael Fischbach, Ph.D., Stanford University
Cathrine Hoyo, Ph.D., North Carolina State University
Mona Singh, Ph.D., Princeton University
John Quackenbush, Ph.D., Harvard University
Teresa Przytycka, Ph.D., National Library of Medicine
Mark Gerstein, Ph.D., Yale University
Joshua Campbell, Ph.D., Boston University
Rebecca Fry, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D., Van Andel Institute
Ana Navas-Acien, M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University
John Essigmann, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stephen Chanock, M.D., National Cancer Institute
Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Jesse Goodrich, Ph.D., University of Southern California
Karin Michels, Sc.D., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Loïc Le Marchand, M.D., Ph.D., University of Hawai’i
Workshop Planning Committee:
Ron Johnson, Ph.D., NCI
Daniel Shaughnessy, Ph.D., NIEHS
Phil Daschner, M.Sc., NCI
Michelle Heacock, Ph.D., NIEHS
Somdat Mahabir, Ph.D., MPH, NCI
Arun Pandiri, Ph.D., NIEHS
Contact
For questions about the workshop content, please contact
Daniel T. Shaughnessy
, Ph.D. or
Ron Johnson
, Ph.D.
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Last Reviewed: January 02, 2026