Future Cancer Leaders Speaker Series: Circulating Oxysterols and Colorectal Polyp Risk

Join the Zhu Family Center and the DF/HCC Cancer Risk, Prevention and Early Detection (CaRPED) program on November 2, 2022 for our next Future Cancer Leaders Speaker Series event featuring Michael N. Passarelli, PhD, Assistant Professor Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College.  Dr. Passarelli will present his recent research on circulating oxysterols and the incidence of precursor lesions for colorectal cancer. Oxysterols are metabolites of cholesterol and intermediates in pathways for primary bile acid synthesis that regulate homeostasis of cholesterol, fatty acids, and glucose. These metabolites are generated throughout the body, either enzymatically or from oxidative stress, and are detectable in circulation at concentrations much lower than total cholesterol.

This talk will describe a study that measured plasma concentrations of the most abundant oxysterols from blood collected at the time of an initial polypectomy to estimate associations with the recurrence of these lesions using data and biospecimens from the Vitamin D/Calcium Polyp Prevention Study clinical trial. Ways in which circulating oxysterols are related to general health characteristics and genetics will also be discussed.