Secondary Faculty

Immaculata De Vivo

Professor in the Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology


Overview

My research focus is to understand mechanisms of carcinogenesis and to establish association with disease for future prevention. My research base is the Nurses’ Health Study, where 33,000 germline DNA samples are available for determining inherited genetic susceptibility to cancer and other chronic diseases. I have introduced modern high-throughput genotyping methods in order to build the capacity to handle larger numbers of samples per day, implemented standard molecular biological techniques, such as cloning, RT-PCR, Western blotting, and assays to assess transcriptional effects and more recently whole genome amplification technique that will provide sufficiently robust amplification of limiting samples of genomic DNA that can be used for a variety of applications and statistically inferring population haplotypes. Some of my current projects include studying polymorphisms in hormone-metabolizing genes in endometrial and breast cancer. Findings from these studies have led to domestic collaborations with human geneticists Dr. David Housman at MIT, Dr. Cynthia Morton at BWH, clinicians, Dr. Daniel Cramer at BWH, George Mutter at HMS; and two international collaborations, Dr. Hans Olov-Adami at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and Dr. Georgia Chenevix-Trench at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia.

Following my findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science in 2002, that a variation in the promoter region of the human progesterone receptor (hPR) gene increases the risk of endometrial cancer, subsequent studies in my laboratory have found this same association with other types of hormone-related cancers, such as breast cancer. These risks are often modified by environmental factors such as obesity.

I am the primary instructor for Epi249a, “Molecular Biology for Epidemiologists,” a graduate-level course (approx. 30 students) that teaches the fundamental concepts of molecular biology. I assist in the direction of the Molecular Epidemiology laboratory at the Harvard School of Public Health (I supervise a laboratory manager and 3 research assistants) and direct my molecular biology laboratory housed in the ERBC at 221 Longwood Ave (research assistant, doctoral student and a masters student). I mentor 12 students (masters, doctoral and postdoctoral) and fellows on their research projects at Channing Laboratory and at the Harvard School of Public Health.

National Cancer Institute Research Fellowship1991-1993
Columbia University

Scholarship Award for Excellence in Academic Work
Columbia University School of Public Health

Award for Academic Excellence
Columbia University

Stanford Immunology Department Fellowship Competititve Award 1995-1997
Stanford University

American Cancer Society Faculty Award2000-2002
American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award2002-2008
American Cancer Society

Recognized as one of the top nine U.S. female scientists in cancer research2006-2007
Pink Magazine

Award for Excellence in Teaching2006-2007
Harvard School of Public Health


Bibliography

Genome-Wide Analyses Characterize Shared Heritability Among Cancers and Identify Novel Cancer Susceptibility Regions.

Lindström S, Wang L, Feng H, Majumdar A, Huo S, Macdonald J, Harrison T, Turman C, Chen H, Mancuso N, Bammler T, Gallinger S, Gruber SB, Gunter MJ, Le Marchand L, Moreno V, Offit K, de Vivo I, O'Mara TA, Spurdle AB, Tomlinson I, Fitzgerald R, Gharahkhani P, Gockel I, Jankowski J, Macgregor S, Schumacher J, Barnholtz-Sloan J, Bondy ML, Houlston RS, Jenkins RB, Melin B, Wrensch M, Brennan P, Christiani D, Johansson M, Mckay J, Aldrich MC, Amos CI, Landi MT, Tardon A, Bishop DT, Demenais F, Goldstein AM, Iles MM, Kanetsky PA, Law MH, Amundadottir LT, Stolzenberg-Solomon R, Wolpin BM, Klein A, Petersen G, Risch H, Chanock SJ, Purdue MP, Scelo G, Pharoah P, Kar S, Hung RJ, Pasaniuc B, Kraft P.

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023 Mar 17. PMID: 36929942

The genetic basis of endometriosis and comorbidity with other pain and inflammatory conditions.

Rahmioglu N, Mortlock S, Ghiasi M, Møller PL, Stefansdottir L, Galarneau G, Turman C, Danning R, Law MH, Sapkota Y, Christofidou P, Skarp S, Giri A, Banasik K, Krassowski M, Lepamets M, Marciniak B, Nõukas M, Perro D, Sliz E, Sobalska-Kwapis M, Thorleifsson G, Topbas-Selcuki NF, Vitonis A, Westergaard D, Arnadottir R, Burgdorf KS, Campbell A, Cheuk CSK, Clementi C, Cook J, De Vivo I, DiVasta A, Dorien O, Donoghue JF, Edwards T, Fontanillas P, Fung JN, Geirsson RT, Girling JE, Harkki P, Harris HR, Healey M, Heikinheimo O, Holdsworth-Carson S, Hostettler IC, Houlden H, Houshdaran S, Irwin JC, Jarvelin MR, Kamatani Y, Kennedy SH, Kepka E, Kettunen J, Kubo M, Kulig B, Kurra V, Laivuori H, Laufer MR, Lindgren CM, MacGregor S, Mangino M, Martin NG, Matalliotaki C, Matalliotakis M, Murray AD, Ndungu A, Nezhat C, Olsen CM, Opoku-Anane J, Padmanabhan S, Paranjpe M, Peters M, Polak G, Porteous DJ, Rabban J, Rexrode KM, Romanowicz H, Saare M, Saavalainen L, Schork AJ, Sen S, Shafrir AL, Siewierska-Górska A, Slomka M, Smith BH, Smolarz B, Szaflik T, Szyllo K, Takahashi A, Terry KL, Tomassetti C, Treloar SA, Vanhie A, Vincent K, Vo KC, Werring DJ, Zeggini E, Zervou MI, Adachi S, Buring JE, Ridker PM, D'Hooghe T, Goulielmos GN, Hapangama DK, Hayward C, Horne AW, Low SK, Martikainen H, Chasman DI, Rogers PAW, Saunders PT, Sirota M, Spector T, Strapagiel D, Tung JY, Whiteman DC, Giudice LC, Velez-Edwards DR, Uimari O, Kraft P, Salumets A, Nyholt DR, Mägi R, Stefansson K, Becker CM, Yurttas-Beim P, Steinthorsdottir V, Nyegaard M, Missmer SA, Montgomery GW, Morris AP, Zondervan KT.

Nat Genet. 2023 Mar. 55(3):423-436. PMID: 36914876

Risk prediction models for endometrial cancer: development and validation in an international consortium.

Shi J, Kraft P, Rosner B, Benavente Y, Black A, Brinton LA, Chen C, Clarke MA, Cook LS, Costas L, Dal Maso L, Freudenheim JL, Frias-Gomez J, Friedenreich CM, Garcia-Closas M, Goodman MT, Johnson L, La Vecchia C, Levi F, Lissowska J, Lu L, McCann SE, Moysich KB, Negri E, O'Connell K, Parazzini F, Petruzella S, Polesel J, Ponte J, Rebbeck TR, Reynolds P, Ricceri F, Risch H, Sacerdote C, Setiawan VW, Shu XO, Spurdle AB, Trabert B, Webb PM, Wentzensen N, Wilkens LR, Xu WH, Yang HP, Yu H, Du M, De Vivo I.

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023 Jan 23. PMID: 36688725

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and endometrial cancer risk in the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium: An individual-participant meta-analysis.

Brasky TM, Hade EM, Cohn DE, Newton AM, Petruzella S, O'Connell K, Bertrand KA, Cook LS, De Vivo I, Du M, Freudenheim JL, Friedenreich CM, Goodman MT, Gorzelitz J, Ibiebele TI, Krogh V, Liao LM, Lipworth L, Lu L, McCann S, O'Mara TA, Palmer JR, Ponte J, Prizment A, Risch H, Sandin S, Schouten LJ, Setiawan VW, Shu XO, Trabert B, van den Brandt PA, Webb PM, Wentzensen N, Wilkens LR, Wolk A, Yu H, Neuhouser ML.

Gynecol Oncol. 2023 02. 169:137-146. PMID: 36934308

Distinct germline genetic susceptibility profiles identified for common non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes.

Berndt SI, Vijai J, Benavente Y, Camp NJ, Nieters A, Wang Z, Smedby KE, Kleinstern G, Hjalgrim H, Besson C, Skibola CF, Morton LM, Brooks-Wilson AR, Teras LR, Breeze C, Arias J, Adami HO, Albanes D, Anderson KC, Ansell SM, Bassig B, Becker N, Bhatti P, Birmann BM, Boffetta P, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Brown EE, Burdett L, Cannon-Albright LA, Chang ET, Chiu BCH, Chung CC, Clavel J, Cocco P, Colditz G, Conde L, Conti DV, Cox DG, Curtin K, Casabonne D, De Vivo I, Diver WR, Dogan A, Edlund CK, Foretova L, Fraumeni JF, Gabbas A, Ghesquières H, Giles GG, Glaser S, Glenn M, Glimelius B, Gu J, Habermann TM, Haiman CA, Haioun C, Hofmann JN, Holford TR, Holly EA, Hutchinson A, Izhar A, Jackson RD, Jarrett RF, Kaaks R, Kane E, Kolonel LN, Kong Y, Kraft P, Kricker A, Lake A, Lan Q, Lawrence C, Li D, Liebow M, Link BK, Magnani C, Maynadie M, McKay J, Melbye M, Miligi L, Milne RL, Molina TJ, Monnereau A, Montalvan R, North KE, Novak AJ, Onel K, Purdue MP, Rand KA, Riboli E, Riby J, Roman E, Salles G, Sborov DW, Severson RK, Shanafelt TD, Smith MT, Smith A, Song KW, Song L, Southey MC, Spinelli JJ, Staines A, Stephens D, Sutherland HJ, Tkachuk K, Thompson CA, Tilly H, Tinker LF, Travis RC, Turner J, Vachon CM, Vajdic CM, Van Den Berg A, Van Den Berg DJ, Vermeulen RCH, Vineis P, Wang SS, Weiderpass E, Weiner GJ, Weinstein S, Doo NW, Ye Y, Yeager M, Yu K, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zhang Y, Zheng T, Ziv E, Sampson J, Chatterjee N, Offit K, Cozen W, Wu X, Cerhan JR, Chanock SJ, Slager SL, Rothman N.

Leukemia. 2022 12. 36(12):2835-2844. PMID: 36273105


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