Frontlines Fall 2020
Quick updates about the latest public health news from across the School and beyond.
New model can identify those at greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer
A pancreatic cancer risk model that includes clinical and genetic factors, and circulating biomarkers, more successfully identified people with significantly greater than average risk of developing the disease than models using clinical factors alone.
The Cancer Miracle Isn't a Cure. It's Prevention.
We cannot treat our way out of the rising trend in cancer cases. The only solution is a full-scale defense, so that nobody suffers the disease in the first place.
Experts skeptical of 23andMe’s new test for assessing diabetes risk
Direct-to-consumer DNA testing company 23andMe announced that it will start offering to gauge people’s risk for diabetes based on their genetic profile, but experts are skeptical of the accuracy and usefulness of this new assessment, according to reports.…
Dozens of new genetic regions linked to breast cancer
Two studies represent the largest-ever examination of the inherited genetic contribution to the risk of getting breast cancer For immediate release: October 23, 2017 Boston, MA – Two large genome-wide association studies of thousands of women have identified…
Genetics and disease risk
In this week’s episode: The link between our genes and disease risk. A new study is shedding light on how genetic mutations may increase our risk of a range of diseases—from cancer to heart conditions.
Twin study estimates familial risks of 23 different cancers
For immediate release: Tuesday, January 5, 2016 Boston, MA – A large new study of twins has found that having a twin sibling diagnosed with cancer poses an excess risk for the other twin to develop any form of…
The DNA of public health
[Fall 2013 Centennial issue] When at first nothing may seem more removed from the broad, humanistic canvas of public health than research on genetics, studies of the molecular mechanisms of disease occupy a central place at Harvard School…
Researchers uncover 74 new genetic risk factors for breast, prostate and ovarian cancer
April 11, 2013 -- In the largest-ever study of its kind, an international collaboration of hundreds of scientists has uncovered 74 new genetic markers linked to three common hormonal cancers—breast, prostate, and ovarian—thus setting the stage for new…
Modeling gene-gene and gene-environment interaction may not substantially improve disease risk prediction
For immediate release: Thursday, May 24, 2012 Boston, MA —Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers have found that detailed knowledge about your genetic makeup—the interplay between genetic variants and other genetic variants, or between genetic variants and…