Research Summary

My research interests focus on the relationships among immunology and cancer risk, early diagnosis, development and prognosis especially as it relates to modifiable lifestyle factors/exposures, host and tumor genetics, molecular markers and the microbiome. I have more than 20 years of experience conducting population-based studies of pancreatic cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including extensive analyses of data generated from these projects. Through active involvement in international consortia for pancreatic cancer and NHL, large pooled analyses that include the epidemiological and genetic data from the UCSF studies have allowed us to continue to test hypotheses and contribute new findings to better understand risk and susceptibility for these cancers. More current work includes development of an electronic registry of UCSF patients with pancreatic cysts with a goal to better understand the progression of cysts to pancreatic cancer.

In addition, I collaborate with UCSF’s Brain Tumor Center Neuroepidemiology group, including recent lead roles on pilot studies to assess environmental exposures and risk for glioma using exposome methods, as well as statistical design and analysis support for clinical trials investigating strategies for improving cognition, quality-of-life, and palliative care of patients with glioma.  Other ongoing work involves statistical and analytic support for clinical studies of liver cancer,  the role of the microbiome in Kaposi's sarcoma outcomes in patients living with HIV, and for the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR), a multisite international NCI-funded HIV malignancy biorepository that supports HIV and cancer research.

Research Funding

  • April 17, 2014 - March 31, 2017 - Pancreatic cystic lesions: descriptive epidemiology and natural history , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R03CA179681
  • September 17, 2010 - August 31, 2013 - Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in women: reproductive, hormonal and genetic factors , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R03CA150037
  • July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2013 - Energy balance and nutrigenetic analysis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R03CA143947
  • September 29, 2005 - June 30, 2012 - Molecular Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA109767

Education

University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, BA, Mathematics and Zoology
Boston University, Boston, MA, MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, MS, Biostatistics
University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, PhD, Epidemiology

Honors & Awards

  • 2010
    Lymphoma Foundation of America Young Scientist Award

Selected Publications

  1. Li M, Hannan LM, Goyal L, Bocobo AG, Parks AL, Bauer K, Baiev I, Dinicola C, Gordan JD, Venook AP, Harris WP, Bracci P, Kelley RK. Changes in alpha-fetoprotein across the systemic therapy continuum in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma-a real-world, multicenter study. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2024; 16:17588359241297085.  View on PubMed
  2. McGrath MS, Zhang R, Bracci PM, Azhir A, Forrest BD. Systemic Innate Immune System Restoration as a Therapeutic Approach for Neurodegenerative Disease: Effects of NP001 on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Progression. Biomedicines. 2024 Oct 16; 12(10).  View on PubMed
  3. Forrest BD, Goyal NA, Fleming TR, Bracci PM, Brett NR, Khan Z, Robinson M, Azhir A, McGrath M. The Effectiveness of NP001 on the Long-Term Survival of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Biomedicines. 2024 Oct 16; 12(10).  View on PubMed
  4. Scholte LLS, Browne J, Nolan DJ, St John P, Tracy K, Thur RS, Li G, Lamers SL, Bracci P, McGrath MS, Bethony JM. Protocol for the simultaneous isolation of DNA, RNA, and miRNA from a single archived Kaposi sarcoma biopsy. STAR Protoc. 2024 Oct 04; 5(4):103365.  View on PubMed
  5. Zhang R, Bracci PM, Leong A, Rapp C, McGrath MS. Utility of an Archival Dried Blood Spot (DBS) Collection from HIV-Infected Individuals with and without Cancer in a Resource-Limited Setting. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Sep 24; 25(19).  View on PubMed
  6. Ni Z, Kundu P, McKean DF, Wheeler W, Albanes D, Andreotti G, Antwi SO, Arslan AA, Bamlet WR, Beane-Freeman LE, Berndt SI, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Buring JE, Chanock SJ, Gallinger S, Gaziano JM, Giles GG, Giovannucci EL, Goggins MG, Goodman PJ, Haiman CA, Hassan MM, Holly EA, Hung RJ, Katzke V, Kooperberg C, Kraft P, LeMarchand L, Li D, McCullough ML, Milne RL, Moore SC, Neale RE, Oberg AL, Patel AV, Peters U, Rabe KG, Risch HA, Shu XO, Smith-Byrne K, Visvanathan K, Wactawski-Wende J, White E, Wolpin BM, Yu H, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zheng W, Zhong J, Amundadottir LT, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Klein AP. Genome-Wide Analysis to Assess if Heavy Alcohol Consumption Modifies the Association between SNPs and Pancreatic Cancer Risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2024 Sep 03; 33(9):1229-1239.  View on PubMed
  7. Taylor JW, Warrier G, Hansen HM, McCoy L, Rice T, Guerra G, Francis SS, Clarke JL, Bracci PM, Hadad S, Kelsey KT, Wrensch M, Molinaro AM, Wiencke JK. Oligodendroglioma patient survival is associated with circulating B-cells and age. Neurooncol Adv. 2024 Jan-Dec; 6(1):vdae143.  View on PubMed
  8. Hassan MM, Li D, Han Y, Byun J, Hatia RI, Long E, Choi J, Kelley RK, Cleary SP, Lok AS, Bracci P, Permuth JB, Bucur R, Yuan JM, Singal AG, Jalal PK, Ghobrial RM, Santella RM, Kono Y, Shah DP, Nguyen MH, Liu G, Parikh ND, Kim R, Wu HC, El-Serag H, Chang P, Li Y, Chun YS, Lee SS, Gu J, Hawk E, Sun R, Huff C, Rashid A, Amin HM, Beretta L, Wolff RA, Antwi SO, Patt Y, Hwang LY, Klein AP, Zhang K, Schmidt MA, White DL, Goss JA, Khaderi SA, Marrero JA, Cigarroa FG, Shah PK, Kaseb AO, Roberts LR, Amos CI. Genome-wide association study identifies high-impact susceptibility loci for HCC in North America. Hepatology. 2024 07 01; 80(1):87-101.  View on PubMed
  9. Röttgering JG, Taylor JW, Brie M, Luks T, Hervey-Jumper SL, Phan S, Bracci PM, Smith E, De Witt Hamer PC, Douw L, Weyer-Jamora C, Klein M. Understanding the association between fatigue and neurocognitive functioning in patients with glioma: A cross-sectional multinational study. Neurooncol Pract. 2024 Jun; 11(3):284-295.  View on PubMed
  10. Kachuri L, Guerra GA, Wendt GA, Hansen HM, Molinaro AM, Bracci P, McCoy L, Rice T, Wiencke JK, Eckel-Passow JE, Jenkins RB, Wrensch M, Francis SS. Genetic predisposition to altered blood cell homeostasis is associated with glioma risk and survival. medRxiv. 2023 Oct 16.  View on PubMed
  11. Berndt SI, Vijai J, Benavente Y, Camp NJ, Nieters A, Wang Z, Smedby KE, Kleinstern G, Hjalgrim H, Besson C, Skibola CF, Morton LM, Brooks-Wilson AR, Teras LR, Breeze C, Arias J, Adami HO, Albanes D, Anderson KC, Ansell SM, Bassig B, Becker N, Bhatti P, Birmann BM, Boffetta P, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Brown EE, Burdett L, Cannon-Albright LA, Chang ET, Chiu BCH, Chung CC, Clavel J, Cocco P, Colditz G, Conde L, Conti DV, Cox DG, Curtin K, Casabonne D, De Vivo I, Diepstra A, Diver WR, Dogan A, Edlund CK, Foretova L, Fraumeni JF, Gabbas A, Ghesquières H, Giles GG, Glaser S, Glenn M, Glimelius B, Gu J, Habermann TM, Haiman CA, Haioun C, Hofmann JN, Holford TR, Holly EA, Hutchinson A, Izhar A, Jackson RD, Jarrett RF, Kaaks R, Kane E, Kolonel LN, Kong Y, Kraft P, Kricker A, Lake A, Lan Q, Lawrence C, Li D, Liebow M, Link BK, Magnani C, Maynadie M, McKay J, Melbye M, Miligi L, Milne RL, Molina TJ, Monnereau A, Montalvan R, North KE, Novak AJ, Onel K, Purdue MP, Rand KA, Riboli E, Riby J, Roman E, Salles G, Sborov DW, Severson RK, Shanafelt TD, Smith MT, Smith A, Song KW, Song L, Southey MC, Spinelli JJ, Staines A, Stephens D, Sutherland HJ, Tkachuk K, Thompson CA, Tilly H, Tinker LF, Travis RC, Turner J, Vachon CM, Vajdic CM, Van Den Berg A, Van Den Berg DJ, Vermeulen RCH, Vineis P, Wang SS, Weiderpass E, Weiner GJ, Weinstein S, Doo NW, Ye Y, Yeager M, Yu K, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zhang Y, Zheng T, Ziv E, Sampson J, Chatterjee N, Offit K, Cozen W, Wu X, Cerhan JR, Chanock SJ, Slager SL, Rothman N. Correction: Distinct germline genetic susceptibility profiles identified for common non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. Leukemia. 2023 Oct; 37(10):2142.  View on PubMed
  12. King SD, Veliginti S, Brouwers MCGJ, Ren Z, Zheng W, Setiawan VW, Wilkens LR, Shu XO, Arslan AA, Beane Freeman LE, Bracci PM, Canzian F, Du M, Gallinger SJ, Giles GG, Goodman PJ, Haiman CA, Kogevinas M, Kooperberg C, LeMarchand L, Neale RE, Visvanathan K, White E, Albanes D, Andreotti G, Babic A, Berndt SI, Brais LK, Brennan P, Buring JE, Rabe KG, Bamlet WR, Chanock SJ, Fuchs CS, Gaziano JM, Giovannucci EL, Hackert T, Hassan MM, Katzke V, Kurtz RC, Lee IM, Malats N, Murphy N, Oberg AL, Orlow I, Porta M, Real FX, Rothman N, Sesso HD, Silverman DT, Thompson IM, Wactawski-Wende J, Wang X, Wentzensen N, Yu H, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Yu K, Wolpin BM, Duell EJ, Li D, Hung RJ, Perdomo S, McCullough ML, Freedman ND, Patel AV, Peters U, Riboli E, Sund M, Tjønneland A, Zhong J, Van Den Eeden SK, Kraft P, Risch HA, Amundadottir LT, Klein AP, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Antwi SO. Genetic Susceptibility to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Risk for Pancreatic Cancer: Mendelian Randomization. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 09 01; 32(9):1265-1269.  View on PubMed
  13. Schraw JM, Petridou ET, Bonaventure A, Dockerty JD, Karalexi M, Ntzani E, Infante-Rivard C, Clavel J, Bracci PM, McKean-Cowdin R, Roman E, Kane E, Erdmann F, Schüz J, Mueller BA, Scheurer ME. Breastfeeding and risk of childhood brain tumors: a report from the Childhood Cancer and Leukemia International Consortium. Cancer Causes Control. 2023 Nov; 34(11):1005-1015.  View on PubMed
  14. McGrath MS, Zhang R, Bracci PM, Azhir A, Forrest BD. Regulation of the Innate Immune System as a Therapeutic Approach to Supporting Respiratory Function in ALS. Cells. 2023 03 28; 12(7).  View on PubMed
  15. Nolan DJ, Rose R, Zhang R, Leong A, Fogel GB, Scholte LLS, Bethony JM, Bracci P, Lamers SL, McGrath MS. The Persistence of HIV Diversity, Transcription, and Nef Protein in Kaposi's Sarcoma Tumors during Antiretroviral Therapy. Viruses. 2022 12 13; 14(12).  View on PubMed
  16. Zhang R, Bracci PM, Azhir A, Forrest BD, McGrath MS. Macrophage-Targeted Sodium Chlorite (NP001) Slows Progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) through Regulation of Microbial Translocation. Biomedicines. 2022 Nov 12; 10(11).  View on PubMed
  17. Tang E, Wiencke JK, Warrier G, Hansen H, McCoy L, Rice T, Bracci PM, Wrensch M, Taylor JW, Clarke JL, Koestler DC, Salas LA, Christensen BC, Kelsey KT, Molinaro AM. Evaluation of cross-platform compatibility of a DNA methylation-based glucocorticoid response biomarker. Clin Epigenetics. 2022 10 28; 14(1):136.  View on PubMed
  18. Berndt SI, Vijai J, Benavente Y, Camp NJ, Nieters A, Wang Z, Smedby KE, Kleinstern G, Hjalgrim H, Besson C, Skibola CF, Morton LM, Brooks-Wilson AR, Teras LR, Breeze C, Arias J, Adami HO, Albanes D, Anderson KC, Ansell SM, Bassig B, Becker N, Bhatti P, Birmann BM, Boffetta P, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Brown EE, Burdett L, Cannon-Albright LA, Chang ET, Chiu BCH, Chung CC, Clavel J, Cocco P, Colditz G, Conde L, Conti DV, Cox DG, Curtin K, Casabonne D, De Vivo I, Diepstra A, Diver WR, Dogan A, Edlund CK, Foretova L, Fraumeni JF, Gabbas A, Ghesquières H, Giles GG, Glaser S, Glenn M, Glimelius B, Gu J, Habermann TM, Haiman CA, Haioun C, Hofmann JN, Holford TR, Holly EA, Hutchinson A, Izhar A, Jackson RD, Jarrett RF, Kaaks R, Kane E, Kolonel LN, Kong Y, Kraft P, Kricker A, Lake A, Lan Q, Lawrence C, Li D, Liebow M, Link BK, Magnani C, Maynadie M, McKay J, Melbye M, Miligi L, Milne RL, Molina TJ, Monnereau A, Montalvan R, North KE, Novak AJ, Onel K, Purdue MP, Rand KA, Riboli E, Riby J, Roman E, Salles G, Sborov DW, Severson RK, Shanafelt TD, Smith MT, Smith A, Song KW, Song L, Southey MC, Spinelli JJ, Staines A, Stephens D, Sutherland HJ, Tkachuk K, Thompson CA, Tilly H, Tinker LF, Travis RC, Turner J, Vachon CM, Vajdic CM, Van Den Berg A, Van Den Berg DJ, Vermeulen RCH, Vineis P, Wang SS, Weiderpass E, Weiner GJ, Weinstein S, Doo NW, Ye Y, Yeager M, Yu K, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zhang Y, Zheng T, Ziv E, Sampson J, Chatterjee N, Offit K, Cozen W, Wu X, Cerhan JR, Chanock SJ, Slager SL, Rothman N. Distinct germline genetic susceptibility profiles identified for common non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. Leukemia. 2022 12; 36(12):2835-2844.  View on PubMed
  19. Wiencke JK, Molinaro AM, Warrier G, Rice T, Clarke J, Taylor JW, Wrensch M, Hansen H, McCoy L, Tang E, Tamaki SJ, Tamaki CM, Nissen E, Bracci P, Salas LA, Koestler DC, Christensen BC, Zhang Z, Kelsey KT. DNA methylation as a pharmacodynamic marker of glucocorticoid response and glioma survival. Nat Commun. 2022 09 20; 13(1):5505.  View on PubMed
  20. Boyle T, Kleinstern G, Bracci PM, Cerhan JR, Benavente Y, Casabonne D, Chiu BC, Habermann TM, Holly EA, Liebow M, Norman A, Paltiel O, Robinson D, Rothman N, Abu Seir R, Slager SL, Villeneuve PJ, Wang SS, Weisenburger DD, Spinelli JJ. Physical activity and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes: A pooled analysis. Int J Cancer. 2023 02 01; 152(3):396-407.  View on PubMed

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