Current Research Interests/Research Goals
Dr. Orlow leads the Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory. Her research interests include the study of host genetic and phenotypic characteristics in relation to cancer prognosis and survivorship in patients with melanoma, breast, and bladder cancer. In the area of melanoma, she is a member of the international Genes, Environment, and Melanoma (GEM) Study group, and the InterMEL consortium. Collaborations within GEM include among others, research on the vitamin D receptor and chemokine/chemokine receptor polymorphisms, and their role as modifiers of patients’ survival. She collaborates with Dr. Halpern (Dermatology) and Dr. Satagopan (Biostatistics) in studies that evaluate the effect of genetics, phenotypic characteristics, and exposures to further the knowledge of the biology and epidemiology of nevi —a known risk factor for melanoma. With Dr. Ahles, she is assessing the impact of host genetics and other biomarkers on neurocognitive function in patients with breast cancer. She, Dr. Correa (Neurology ), and Dr. Satagopan (Biostatistics) are examining genetic characteristics in relation to cognitive function in patients treated with radiation. With Dr. Hay (Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences), she is evaluating the personal utility of genomic testing among patients at risk to develop melanoma. With her lab, Dr. Orlow supports additional investigations from multiple disciplines in the study of human specimens in relation to cancer etiology, prognosis and survivorship. She oversees the National Colonoscopy Study biorepository, and the lab serves as biorepository for large epidemiologic studies including GEM, EDGE, CASH, and WECARE.
