Genomic Epidemiology

The Genomic Epidemiology Branch (GEB) in NCI’s Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program (EGRP) stimulates and supports epidemiology research in diverse populations to advance scientific knowledge on individuals’ innate susceptibility to cancer to inform prevention and control practices.

Research areas include

identification of common and rare genetic variants which influence cancer risk
increasing diversity of populations represented in genomics data and research
functional genomics
gene-environment interaction
systems epidemiology
bioethics and ethical, legal, and social implications related to genomic epidemiology
data sharing, leveraging existing data resources, and sophisticated analysis methods

Learn More About

Interest Areas
Featured Resources
Genomic Epidemiology Initiatives

Program Directors

Investigators seeking grant funding for genomic epidemiology projects are encouraged to contact scientific staff in the Genomic Epidemiology Branch with questions.

GEB Program Directors

Featured Funding Opportunities

Ethical, Legal and Social Implications
PAR-23-293 (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-294 (R21 – Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-295 (R03 – Clinical Trial Optional)
Expires November 19, 2026

Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes
PAR-25-095 (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-25-096 (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires September 8, 2026

Genomic Community Resources
PAR-23-124 (U24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires January 26, 2026

Small Research Grants for Analyses of Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Data
PAR-25-109 (R03 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires November 17, 2025

Investigator-Initiated Research in Genomics and Health Equity
RFA-HG-23-017 (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Expires July 9, 2025

ClinGen Genomic Curation Expert Panels
PAR-23-199 (U24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires May 26, 2025

Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts: Building the Next Generation of Research Cohorts
PAR-25-186 (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires March 1, 2025

Research Opportunities in Established Cancer Epidemiology Cohort Studies
PAR-25-275 (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires March 1, 2025

Advancing Genomic Medicine Research

RFA-HG-25-002 (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-HG-25-003 (R21 - Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-HG-25-004 (R03 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Expires February 12, 2025

Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplement for Research and Capacity Building Efforts Related to Bioethical Issues
NOT-OD-25-015 (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
Expires January 24, 2025

Notice of Special Interest: Technologies and Informatics Tools for Cancer Metabolomics
NOT-CA-22-083
Expires December 31, 2024

Notice of Special Interest: Technology Development for Cancer Control and Population Science Research
NOT-CA-23-037
Expires December 31, 2024

View all funding opportunities related to cancer control research.

Interest Areas

Learn more about GEB’s interests in the following areas, relevant funding opportunity announcements, related EGRP events, and staff contacts.

Gene-Environment Research and Cancer Epidemiology

EGRP supports investigators studying both genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to the etiology of cancer and/or impact cancer outcomes.

Global Health and Cancer Epidemiology

EGRP supports NCI’s priorities in global health and collaborates with NCI’s Center for Global Health and NIH partners to support research for cancer control and prevention, globally.

Health Disparities

Staff in EGRP partner with others at NCI and NIH to foster research to better understand the causes of health disparities and develop interventions to reduce differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of cancer and related adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.

Biomarkers

EGRP is interested in supporting research that improves understanding of how biomarkers can be used in early detection/screening of cancer.

Infectious Agents

EGRP partners with others at NCI and NIH to foster investigator-initiated research to better understand the role of infectious agents in cancer.

Featured Resources

Genomic Summary Results

Genomic summary results (GSR) serve as a valuable resource for cancer epidemiology researchers. Learn more about GSR, their significance in cancer epidemiology research, guidelines for sharing GSR data, and where such data can be accessed.

Considerations when Developing a Data Sharing Plan

Learn about the key required elements that investigators should address when developing the resource/data sharing sections of grant applications.

Information on Informed Consents and the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy

This EGRP newsletter article outlines what investigators need to know about NIH consent requirements and expectations for sharing both genomic and non-genomic data.

Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP)

Data and results from studies supported by NCI and other NIH institutes are archived and distributed through dbGaP. As of 2021, more than 70 datasets from cancer control and population sciences studies can be accessed through dbGaP.

Ethical and Regulatory Issues in Cancer Research (ENRICH) Forum

This webinar series presents educational programs focused on specific ethical, legal and social issues involving cancer research.

Sequencing Strategies for Population and Cancer Epidemiology Studies (SeqSPACE)

This webinar series provides opportunities for investigators to share lessons learned and practical information regarding the application of next generation sequencing to cancer epidemiology studies.

Genetic Simulation Resource

The GSR provides a catalogue of existing software packages that simulate genetic data of the human genome. This website is designed to help investigators identify simulators that meet particular research needs.

DNA Sequencing and Genotyping Services (Center for Inherited Disease Research or CIDR)

Thirteen Institutes at the NIH, including NCI, support a contract with CIDR that offers investigators access to next-generation sequencing, genotyping, and statistical genetics services at a reduced cost. Requests for services are evaluated using a competitive, peer-reviewed application process.

COMETS Analytics

COMETS Analytics is a cloud-based, self-serviced analytic platform developed for consortium-based metabolomics analyses. It is available for anyone to use but requires registration on the site.

Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR)

This NIH-supported resource aims to advance understanding of the influence of environment on human health over a lifetime. HHEAR provides researchers access to high-quality, exposure-assessment services including, state of the art laboratory analysis of biological and environmental samples, statistical analysis, and expert consultation on exposure analysis, study design, and data analysis and interpretation.

Current Initiatives

Keep up to date about current GEB projects and initiatives.

Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS) Network

The purpose of the PE-CGS Network is to promote and support direct engagement of cancer patients and post-treatment cancer survivors as participants in cancer research and to use direct engagement approaches for cancer genome sequencing programs to address knowledge gaps in the genomic characterization of tumors, particularly in rare cancers or rare cancer subsets, highly lethal cancers, cancers with an early age of onset, cancers with high disparities in incidence and/or mortality, or cancers in understudied populations.

Past Initiatives

Get information and view details about completed GEB projects and initiatives.

Up For A Challenge (U4C) – Stimulating Innovation in Breast Cancer Genetic Epidemiology

The U4C advanced innovation in the field of genetic epidemiology, increased the amount and diversity of minds tackling a scientific problem, and made breast cancer genetic epidemiologic data more widely available.

Genetic Associations and Mechanisms in Oncology (GAME-ON)

This initiative, focused on five cancer types, brought together genetic epidemiologists, biologists, and others to build a cross-discipline collaboration to empower rapid replication of results from genome-wide association studies and discover new risk loci. GAME-ON investigators developed the OncoArray genotyping chip, and used it to generate one of the largest collections of cancer genomic risk data. 40% of the samples are from individuals with African, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds. The large and diverse sample size allows for greater scientific examination of rare cancer subgroups and subtypes.

Last Updated: 04 Dec, 2024