{"id":41,"date":"2025-10-21T10:57:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T17:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/?page_id=41"},"modified":"2026-02-24T15:07:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T23:07:50","slug":"pilot-projects","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/pilot-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilot Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n  \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--hero-primary horizontal-navigation\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--hero-primary\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper has-horizontal-nav\">\n\n          <div class=\"title-wrapper\">\n\n                  <div class=\"eyebrow-container\">\n                              \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/pilot-projects\/\"  aria-label=\"Read more about Pilot Projects\">Pilot Projects<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n                      <\/div>\n        \n                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Pilot Projects<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        \n              <\/div>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--link eyebrow-link\">\n\n    \n    \n  \n<a\n  class=\"link \"\n  href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/contact\/\"\n    aria-label=\"Read&#x20;more&#x20;about&#x20;Contact&#x20;Us\">\n        Contact Us\n    <\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n    \n      \n              <div class=\"horizontal-nav\">\n                      <div class=\"horizontal-menu-container\">\n              <button class=\"expand-menu\">\n                                  In This Section\n                                <svg class=\"menu\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\"\n                  y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 35\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 35 35\" xml:space=\"preserve\">\n                  <path 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href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/\" >CTER Home<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-24\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/our-team\/\" >Our Team<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-14\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/research-areas\/\" >Research Areas<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-48\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/community-engagement\/\" >Community Engagement<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-49\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/data-science\/\" >Data Science<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-50\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/pilot-projects\/\" >Pilot Projects<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-223\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/news\/\" >News<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <li class=\" menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-213\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/contact\/\" >Contact<\/a>\n  \n  \n<\/li>\n\n    \n      <\/ul><!-- m--menu -->\n<\/nav>\n\n            <\/div>\n                  <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--full-width-cta light-gray\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--full-width-cta\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          2026 Projects\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                              \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>The USC Center of Translational Exposomics (CTER) and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCC) award grants to support one-year research projects focused on environmental influences on cancer. These grants provide investigators with the opportunity to collect preliminary data and\/or validate research methods to establish the feasibility of larger-scale studies and pursue external funding, particularly from the NIH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n              <\/div>\n    \n      <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Fei Chen, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure and Risk of Multiple Primary Cancers: A Pilot Study in the Multiethnic Cohort\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>Advances in cancer detection and treatment have led to a growing population of survivors\u201418.6 million in the U.S. as of 2025, projected to exceed 22 million by 2035. While this represents a major public health success, it introduces a critical challenge: the rising burden of multiple primary cancers (MPC). Approximately one in twelve cancer survivors will develop a second primary malignancy, and among those with two or more<br \/>\ncancers, more than half die from subsequent malignancies. Known MPC risk factors include younger age at first cancer, lower stage, prior chemotherapy or radiation, adverse lifestyle behaviors (smoking, obesity, alcohol), and inherited genetic susceptibility. However, the role of environmental exposures remains largely unexplored. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent chemicals detected in nearly the entire global population. PFAS accumulate in the body for years and have been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, with emerging evidence for other malignancies. Mechanistic studies implicate PFAS in carcinogenesis through oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and interference with DNA repair. Despite these findings, no studies have evaluated PFAS in relation to MPC, leaving a critical gap in understanding environmental contributions to cancer survivorship. This pilot study will leverage existing PFAS measurements in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) to examine whether circulating PFAS concentrations measured prior to diagnosis are associated with MPC risk and whether associations vary by demographic,<br \/>\nclinical, lifestyle, and genetic factors. We will analyze data from three nested case-control studies totaling 565 MPC cases, 2,858 first primary cancer cases, and 3,861 cancer-free controls. Findings will provide the first quantitative estimates of PFAS\u2013MPC associations, identify subgroups with heightened vulnerability, and inform larger hypothesis-driven studies. Ultimately, this research will lay the foundation for interventions to reduce PFAS exposure and mitigate cancer burden among survivors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-24-at-3.01.43-PM-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-24-at-3.01.43-PM-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of Woman\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block image-left white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Brian Huang, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Prospective multiethnic investigation of toxic chemical exposure and pancreatic cancer risk\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. In the United States, there is a disproportionate burden of pancreatic cancer across race and ethnicity, with minorities experiencing higher incidence rates, more advanced stage at diagnosis, and poorer survival. Nevertheless, racial and ethnic minorities have been generally underrepresented in studies of pancreatic cancer etiology and risk. Our previous research found that pancreatic cancer disparities are not fully explained by differences in the distribution of lifestyle factors across populations. Thus, it is imperative to investigate other factors, such as environmental and biological factors, to further understand the drivers of pancreatic cancer disparities. The objective of the proposed research is to investigate the influence of toxic chemicals, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and metals, on pancreatic cancer risk, as well as the potential genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying these associations. This research will utilize data from the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), a longstanding heterogeneous prospective cohort of &gt;215,000 African American, Japanese American, Latino, Native Hawaiian, and White participants from Hawaii and Los Angeles. The MEC provides a rich resource to investigate a broad range of individuals with varying exposures and risk profiles, with comprehensive epidemiologic questionnaire data, genetic and epigenetic data, a large biorepository, linkage with SEER cancer registries and mortality databases, and &gt;30 years of follow-up. Our specific aims are: 1) Investigate the association between PFAS exposure and pancreatic cancer risk; 2) Investigate the association between epigenetically-predicted metal exposure and pancreatic cancer risk. This study will further elucidate pancreatic cancer risk associated with toxic chemical exposure across multiple populations. In the long term, our findings can be used to provide more precise risk stratification methods and contribute to early detection tools and targeted prevention strategies for pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2024-10-23-at-10.30.28-AM-1-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2024-10-23-at-10.30.28-AM-1-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of Man\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Stefano Da Sacco, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Impact of Environmental Exposure to Microplastics on Wilms Tumor progression\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>&#8220;Microplastics (MP) have, in recent years, emerged as ubiquitous environmental pollutants that can cause detrimental effects on human health. While their presence has been confirmed in most human tissues and fluids, their role in cancer initiation and progression remains poorly understood. Preliminary findings from our group demonstrate that MP are internalized by renal cells and systemically distributed in vivo, supporting their potential to interact with renal tumor niches. Wilms Tumor (WT), the most common pediatric renal malignancy, originates from nephrogenic progenitors and is driven by cancer stem cells (CSC) expressing SIX2 and CITED1. These CSCs exhibit stemness programs, therapy resistance, and metastatic potential, making them critical targets for understanding WT biology. This proposal seeks to elucidate the mechanisms by which MP influence WT growth and progression. In Aim 1, we will utilize human WT CSCs to characterize MP uptake, routes of internalization, and downstream signaling changes, focusing on pathways regulating self-renewal, proliferation, and oxidative stress. In Aim 2, we will assess the in vivo impact of MP exposure on WT development using a mouse xenograft model, evaluating MP biodistribution, tumor growth kinetics, histological features and spatial transcriptomics. By combining in vitro and in vivo approaches, this study will allow us to determine how MP amplify stemness programs and stress-adaptive pathways in WT CSCs, and whether systemic MP exposure accelerates tumor progression. Our research has the potential to fill critical gaps in our understanding of MP-driven cancerogenicity and could inform future strategies for risk mitigation and shape public health policies&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/1602014269873-768x768.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/1602014269873-768x768.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of Man\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block image-left white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Anna Wu, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Long-term exposure to water disinfection byproducts and risk of colorectal cancer in the Multiethnic Cohort\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>&#8220;Drinking water is an important route of exposure to environmental contaminants including disinfection byproducts (DBPs), nitrates, and pesticides. While public water supply (PWS) monitoring data exist, assessment of long-term drinking water exposures has lagged behind other environmental exposures. Existing U.S. cohort studies linking water contaminants to cancer risk have been limited to predominantly White, female populations of higher socioeconomic status. To address critical gaps in environmental health disparities research, we propose to develop comprehensive, long-term drinking water contaminant exposure assessments in the Multiethnic Cohort Study (MEC), which includes over 215,000 diverse adults across California and Hawaii. In this pilot project, we will link MEC participants\u2019 28-year residential histories (1993-2021) to California and Hawaii public water monitoring data to generate comprehensive long-term exposure estimates of DBPs, focusing on total trihalomethanes (TTHM), and haloacetic acids (HAA5) (Aim 1). We will conduct a prospective study of 215,251 MEC men and women to investigate the association between DBP exposures and risk of incident colorectal cancer (CRC) (n=6431) overall, and by sex, race\/ethnicity and tumor characteristics with adjustment of lifestyle and neighborhood factors (Aim 2). This pilot will be the first to assess long-term water contaminant exposures in a large, multiethnic population and to integrate geospatial exposure assessment with risk of CRC. Upon completion, we will be positioned to submit an R01 application investigating associations between a wide range of natural and anthropogenic drinking water contaminant exposures and multiple cancer risks across diverse populations, filling a critical gap in environmental cancer research&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/screenshot_2026-02-24_at_2.57.23___pm_720.png\"\n                    data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of Woman\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Brooks Udelsman, MD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Effect of wildfire exposure on alveolar epithelium and clinical recovery and recurrence after lung cancer resection\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>&#8220;Wildfires expose millions of individuals to smoke, ash, carbonaceous toxins, and heavy metals. In patients with a recent lung cancer resections, exposure to wildfires is associated with reduced overall survival. Post-operative patients may be particularly susceptible to acute\/chronic injury and\/or cancer recurrence from inhaled toxins. Understanding the specific cellular and clinical mechanisms would enable evidence-driven interventions. The wide geographic range of wildfires hampers in-depth study; however, the historic Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires of January 2025 uniquely exposed a large population within a concentrated area and temporal period. Here, we propose a feasibility pilot study in support of a multidisciplinary R01 application aimed at elucidating i) the clinical ramifications of wildfire exposure on lung cancer surgery patients and ii) the detailed analysis of the underlying cellular mechanisms affecting alveolar epithelium exposed to vegetation and urban smoke. We hypothesize that increased post-operative complications will drive the increase in mortality seen in limited national datasets, and that exposed patients will have decreased disease-free and overall survival. In addition, we hypothesize that molecular effects of wildfire exposure can be modeled using human alveolar epithelial cells, and that identified molecular changes can then be examined in patient tissues. The ultimate goal of the R01 would be to develop clinical and molecular strategies to mitigate the negative effects of wildfire exposure. In Aim 1 of this pilot study, we will collect data from patients receiving surgery from the major Los Angeles clinical centers (USC Keck\/Norris, LA General, Cedars Sinai, UCLA, and City of Hope) before and during the fires. In Aim 2, we will examine the transcriptomic and epigenomic effects on human alveolar epithelial cells exposed to wildfire smoke extracts from laboratory-controlled burning of vegetation and household smoke. The proposed pilot study work will demonstrate feasibility and generate pilot data for the planned R01.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/UdelsmanBrooksV_1639582786.jpg\"\n                    data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of Man\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block image-left white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Eunjung Lee, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          The role of PFAS and metabolomic alterations in breast tumor genomics\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>&#8220;Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent, ubiquitous, and endocrine disrupting chemicals commonly used in consumer products and industrial processes. Experimental studies have supported PFAS as mammary carcinogens, and alterations in epigenetic and gene expression regulation have been proposed as an underlying mechanism. Consistent with these reports, growing evidence from prospective epidemiological studies suggests that the impact of PFAS on breast cancer risk may vary by breast cancer subtype. The molecular subtypes of breast cancer have distinguishing gene expression patterns, each associated with distinct underlying etiologies. When cross-referencing two publicly available databases on tumor biology and toxicogenomics, respectively, certain PFAS-related genes were previously shown to be overexpressed in breast cancer tissue, providing preliminary support for transcriptomic alterations as a potential mechanism linking PFAS and breast cancer risk. To our knowledge, no population-based studies evaluated breast cancer tissue gene expression profiles in relation to PFAS exposure levels. This pilot proposal leverages the existing PFAS and metabolomics measurements from pre-diagnostic blood samples based on untargeted liquid chromatography-based technology and the existing gene expression profiles represented in 48 breast tumor biology signatures (NanoString Breast Cancer 360TM Panel; BC360) for 53 female breast tumor tissues in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). We propose to evaluate the associations between PFAS, PFAS-related metabolomic features, and tumor-related biological signatures and breast cancer intrinsic subtypes. Our specific aims are: (1) To evaluate the association between pre-diagnostic PFAS and breast tumor gene expression signatures; (2) To evaluate the association between pre-diagnostic metabolomic features and breast tumor gene expression signatures. This proposal has the potential to develop into R01-type grants applying the recently developed \u2018Multi-Omics\u2019 analytic framework integrating multiple layers of molecular alterations and mechanisms implicated in carcinogenic potential of PFAS for breast cancer and other cancers in the MEC as well as other cohort studies.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2026\/02\/Eunjung-Lee-14.jpg\"\n                    data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"Image of woman\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--full-width-cta light-gray\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--full-width-cta\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          2023 Projects\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                      <\/div>\n    \n      <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block light-gray\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Ruth Wood, PhD; Max Aung, PhD, MPH<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Elucidating mechanisms of PFAS-induced neurocognitive and behavioral changes in a novel rat model\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperreactivity disorder and impaired cognition are increasing in the U.S., leading to high economic costs and long-term health risks. Environmental factors, such as persistent pollutants classified as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), play a significant role in these disorders. Past studies have shown that one such PFAS known as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) can negatively impact cognitive and behavioral development in children.<\/p>\n<p>To better understand these effects, this research proposal plans to use a novel in vivo experimental rat model to assess new phenotypes of cognitive function and executive behavior that have not been previously investigated with PFOS, complimented with postmortem in situ assessment of gene expression at three critically important brain regions (hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens).<\/p>\n<p>This project will lay the groundwork for future R01 proposals. In addition, a major goal is to build up a biobank of multiple tissue types, serving as a critical resource to investigate multi-organ system omics signatures. This will complement other proposed multi-omics data integration initiatives to better understand PFOS&#8217;s impact. Upcoming studies will investigate effects during critical windows of PFOS exposure (e.g. prenatal vs. postnatal exposures) and explore dietary intake interventions as a potential methods to mitigate the harmful effects of PFOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-2-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-2-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"portraits of researchers\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block image-left light-gray\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Jesse Goodrich, PhD; Ana C. Maretti Garcia, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Global kidney specific gene changes induced by PFAS and risk of kidney cancer\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p>Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer, representing about 90% of all kidney cancer cases in adults, with approximately 80,000 new cases and 14,000 deaths in the U.S. annually and rising.The disease is often deadly, particularly when diagnosed at an advanced stage, with a five-year survival rate of less than 12%. Recent research has suggested that environmental pollutants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), may contribute to RCC risk.<\/p>\n<p>This research proposal aims to investigate the role of PFAS in RCC through a novel translational pilot study. The study will first utilize in-vitro methods, including kidney spheroids, single-cell RNA sequencing, and metabolomics, to identify how PFAS exposure alters molecular pathways related to RCC. Findings from these in-vitro experiments will then be applied to analyze PFAS and metabolic data from the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), a large and varied study with pre-existing data on PFAS exposure and RCC. The overarching hypothesis is that PFAS exposure triggers oxidative stress and alters glucose, lipid, and xenobiotic metabolism in kidneys, thereby increasing risk of RCC.<\/p>\n<p>By combining PFAS exposure data, single-cell RNA-transcriptomic profiling, metabolomics, and human RCC studies, this project will create a robust model for examining the impact of PFAS chemicals synergy on human kidneys, providing a platform for screening the effect of other harmful agents and potential treatments on human kidneys. The insights from this study will form the foundation for a future R01 application where the investigators will aim to broaden the in-vitro study testing other PFASs found in drinking water to obtain a more comprehensive spectrum of PFAS contribution to kidney dysfunction and RCC. Another significant aspect is the capitalization of the new multi-center collaboration and the intellectual assets of the participating institutions which affect future directions of major ongoing research projects at USC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-3-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-3-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"portraits of researchers\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--full-width-cta white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--full-width-cta\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          <div class=\"header-container\">\n\n                      \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          2022 Projects\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n                      <\/div>\n    \n      <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>PI Jaana Hartiala, PhD<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Gene Environment Interactions for Cardiovascular Disease \n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), often taking the form of coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infraction, and stroke, is a leading cause of death in western societies. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It is generally accepted that CVD is characterized by both genetic and environmental risk factors. Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP) has been a<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ssociated with atherosclerosis in both humans and animal models; in our own studies, we have observed similar associations with CAD, and we identified a gene-environment (GxE) interaction where <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">expression for the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">potentially atheroprotective TRIP4 protein <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">is significantly downregulated in human coronary artery endothelial cells incubated with plasma from humans exposed to TRAP. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;469777462&quot;:[2127],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This research proposal aims to further examine the GxE interactions between TRAP and CVD by investigating the in vivo effect of TRAP on cell-specific TRIP4 expression in a mouse exposure system. This has been complemented by their translational approach, where the GxE interaction will be independently replicated in subjects from the Multi-ethnic Cohort (MEC), which tracks over 200,000 participants from diverse backgrounds, to examine the effects on a much larger scale than previously done in literature. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;469777462&quot;:[2127],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This project will serve as the foundation for future proposals that will further examine other GxE interactions that increase risk of CVD by expanding the analysis to the whole genome. This could include collaborative projects with <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">International Mouse Knockout Project to elucidate the mechanism by which TRAP affects atherosclerosis in TRIP4 deficient mice and with USC colleagues to carry out genome-wide interaction studies for CVD, on a scale and scope never previously done. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;469777462&quot;:[2127],&quot;469777927&quot;:[0],&quot;469777928&quot;:[1]}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1600-x-1200-px-1-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1600-x-1200-px-1-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"smiling woman\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--featured-block image-left white\"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--featured-block\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"text-image-container\">\n    <div class=\"text-container\">\n\n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--eyebrow\">\n\n    \n  <span>MPI: Wendy Setiawan, PhD; Lucy Golden, PhD <\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title has-stripe\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Global liver specific gene expression changes induced by PFAS and risk of liver cancer\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n                  \n<div class=\"f--field f--description description-medium\">\n\n    \n  <p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The incidence and mortality rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have increased in recent decades, largely due to the rise of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can progress to more severe liver conditions including HCC.\u00a0 Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a class of prevalent endocrine disruptors that partition preferentially to the liver and have been linked to liver damage and potentially to HCC in experimental models. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:720,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This proposal will use experimental methods with human liver spheroids to investigate PFAS-induced gene expression changes and use metabolomic measurements in the Multi-ethnic Cohort (MEC) to identify key pathways and genetic interactions influencing HCC risk. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Future research will build on this pilot by expanding the use of advanced technologies like single-cell RNA sequencing and high-resolution mass spectrometry to further elucidate PFAS effects on liver disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n      \n      \n    <\/div>\n\n          <div class=\"image-container\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-4-768x768.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/cter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/157\/2024\/08\/Untitled-1080-x-1350-px-4-768x768.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 50vw, (min-width:768px) 100vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n        alt=\"smiling doctors\"\n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n  <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":329,"featured_media":10,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-41","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - 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