The overarching goal of my research program is to deepen our understanding of colorectal cancer (CRC) causes and their interplay, especially in Hispanics, the nation’s largest minority group; and to develop biomarkers for CRC risk and recurrence in order to identify individuals that benefit most from preventive interventions.

To accomplish this goal, we propose to use high-throughput–omics technologies that provide a unique and powerful set of tools to advance the CRC prevention field by developing and implementing precision preventive interventions and precision treatments. By integrating these novel technologies into a multi-omics approach, we seek to complete the following objectives:...

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The overarching goal of my research program is to deepen our understanding of colorectal cancer (CRC) causes and their interplay, especially in Hispanics, the nation’s largest minority group; and to develop biomarkers for CRC risk and recurrence in order to identify individuals that benefit most from preventive interventions.

To accomplish this goal, we propose to use high-throughput –omics technologies that provide a unique and powerful set of tools to advance the CRC prevention field by developing and implementing precision preventive interventions and precision treatments. By integrating these novel technologies into a multi-omics approach, we seek to complete the following objectives:

1. Investigate the interrelationships among diet, the gut microbiome, metabolome, and biomarkers of CRC risk in relation to colon carcinogenesis in order to help design primary prevention strategies against, and assess and manage risk for, colorectal neoplasms, in Hispanic population.

2. To understand the anti-carcinogenic mechanisms of a promising chemopreventive agent, aspirin, by integrating the gut microbiome, metabolomics, and genetic data in order to help design primary and secondary prevention strategies against colorectal neoplasms.

3. To determine whether specific bacterial species or metabolite profiles are associated with recurrence in patients with CRC.

Through these interrelated studies, we will advance the field by clarifying the role of the gut microbiome and its related factors in CRC development and progression, and by identifying potentially modifiable biomarkers for CRC risk and recurrence.

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