Research Summary

Dr. Kober's training is in systems biology, molecular evolutionary biology, and bioinformatics. His  program of research uses rich demographic, clinical and molecular data to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying common symptoms (e.g., fatigue) or neurotoxic side effects (e.g., peripheral neuropathy) experienced by patients with cancer. His work develops and improves prediction models to assist clinicians to identify high risk patients and provide recommendations for activity modifying interventions. Finally, he develops new methods, tools, and resources for new research space and strives to make them freely available to the research community. Dr. Kober has a well established track-record of successful collaborations and mentorships with transdisciplinary research teams. He believes this transdisciplinary approach is needed to develop future symptom scientists who work with genomics and big data.

Research Funding

  • July 3, 2019 - June 30, 2024 - An Investigation of the Molecular Mechanisms for and Prediction of the Severity of Cancer Chemotherapy-Related Fatigue Using a Multi-staged Integrated Omics Approach , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R37CA233774

Education

University of California, Los Angeles, BS Biochemistry, 06/1996
University of California, Santa Cruz, MA Molecular Evolutionary Biology, 06/2009
University of California, Santa Cruz, PhD Molecular Evolutionary Biology, 06/2012
University of California, Irvine, Center for Complex Biological Systems, Systems Biology: Foundations for Interdisciplinary Careers Short Course, 01/2019

Honors & Awards

  • 2006
    Regents' Fellowship, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
  • 2007
    STEPS Institute Graduate Research Grant Award, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
  • 2007
    Student Research and Education Award Friends of Long Marine Lab, Santa Cruz, CA
  • 2011
    Graduate Student Support Award, CSHL Meeting on The Biology of Genomes
  • 2011
    Research Award, Dr. Earl H. Myers and Ethel M. Myers Oceanographic and Marine Biology Trust
  • 2013
    Annual Meeting Best Poster Nominee, American Pain Society
  • 2014
    New Investigator Abstract Award (Fatigue Study Group) Annual Meeting, Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
  • 2016
    Junior Investigator Abstract Award (Fatigue Study Group) Annual Meeting, Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
  • 2020
    Cancer Nursing 2020 Research Award, Cancer Nursing - Official Journal of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care

Selected Publications

  1. Hun Kwak J, Mackin LA, Block A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Abbott M, Chang SM, Hammer MJ, Kober KM, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads KF, Snowberg KE, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K, Miaskowski C. Risk Factors for a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 08 17; 50(5):647-664.  View on PubMed
  2. Mortlock S, Houshdaran S, Kosti I, Rahmioglu N, Nezhat C, Vitonis AF, Andrews SV, Grosjean P, Paranjpe M, Horne AW, Jacoby A, Lager J, Opoku-Anane J, Vo KC, Manvelyan E, Sen S, Ghukasyan Z, Collins F, Santamaria X, Saunders P, Kober K, McRae AF, Terry KL, Vallvé-Juanico J, Becker C, Rogers PAW, Irwin JC, Zondervan K, Montgomery GW, Missmer S, Sirota M, Giudice L. Global endometrial DNA methylation analysis reveals insights into mQTL regulation and associated endometriosis disease risk and endometrial function. Commun Biol. 2023 08 16; 6(1):780.  View on PubMed
  3. Shin J, Kober K, Yates P, Wong ML, Cooper BA, Paul SM, Hammer M, Conley Y, Levine JD, Wright F, Miaskowski C. Higher Lifetime Stress and Symptom Burden Contribute to the Occurrence of Shortness of Breath. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2023 Jul 25; 151471.  View on PubMed
  4. Harris C, Kober KM, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Shin J, Oppegaard K, Morse L, Calvo-Schimmel A, Conley Y, Levine JD, Miaskowski C. Neurotransmitter Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Symptom Clusters in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2023 08; 39(4):151461.  View on PubMed
  5. Xu Z, Lee MC, Sheehan K, Fujii K, Rabl K, Rader G, Varney S, Sharma M, Eilers H, Kober K, Miaskowski C, Levine JD, Schumacher MA. Chemotherapy for pain: reversing inflammatory and neuropathic pain with the anticancer agent mithramycin A. Pain. 2023 Jun 27.  View on PubMed
  6. Calvo-Schimmel A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Harris C, Shin J, Oppegaard K, Hammer MJ, Cartwright F, Conley YP, Kober KM, Levine JD, Miaskowski C. Various types of stress and greater use of disengagement coping are associated with worse sleep disturbance in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy. Stress Health. 2023 Jun 02.  View on PubMed
  7. Oppegaard KR, Mayo SJ, Armstrong TS, Kober KM, Anguera JA, Wright F, Levine JD, Conley YP, Paul S, Cooper B, Miaskowski C. An Evaluation of the Multifactorial Model of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment. Nurs Res. 2023 Jul-Aug 01; 72(4):272-280.  View on PubMed
  8. Shin J, Kober KM, Yates P, Wong ML, Miaskowski C. Multifactorial Model of Dyspnea in Patients With Cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 04 21; 50(3):397-415.  View on PubMed
  9. Harris CS, Pozzar RA, Conley Y, Eicher M, Hammer MJ, Kober KM, Miaskowski C, Colomer-Lahiguera S. Big Data in Oncology Nursing Research: State of the Science. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2023 Jun; 39(3):151428.  View on PubMed
  10. Wright F, Cooper BA, Paul SM, Hammer MJ, Conley YP, Levine JD, Miaskowski C, Kober KM. Distinct Profiles of Morning and Evening Fatigue Co-Occurrence in Patients During Chemotherapy. Nurs Res. 2023 Jul-Aug 01; 72(4):259-271.  View on PubMed
  11. Kober KM, Roy R, Conley Y, Dhruva A, Hammer MJ, Levine J, Olshen A, Miaskowski C. Prediction of morning fatigue severity in outpatients receiving chemotherapy: less may still be more. Support Care Cancer. 2023 Apr 11; 31(5):253.  View on PubMed
  12. Harris CS, Miaskowski CA, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Dunn LB, Dhruva AA, Levine JD, Olshen AB, Kober KM. Epigenetic Regulation of Inflammatory Mechanisms and a Psychological Symptom Cluster in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. Nurs Res. 2023 May-Jun 01; 72(3):200-210.  View on PubMed
  13. Kober KM, Berger LG, Roy R, Olshen A. Torch-eCpG: A fast and scalable eQTM mapper for thousands of molecular phenotypes with graphical processing units. bioRxiv. 2023 Mar 10.  View on PubMed
  14. Sheng Y, Carpenter JS, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Conley YP, Kober KM, Levine JD, Miaskowski C. Palpitations and Co-Occurring Menopausal Symptoms in Women Prior to Breast Cancer Surgery. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 Feb 17; 50(2):215-228.  View on PubMed
  15. Oppegaard KR, Mayo SJ, Armstrong TS, Anguera JA, Kober KM, Miaskowski C. The Multifactorial Model of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 Feb 17; 50(2):135-147.  View on PubMed
  16. Romanovska V, Block A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Conley YP, Levine JD, Kober KM, Miaskowski C. Exploration of the Relationships Between Stress and Distinct Pain and Sleep Disturbance Profiles in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy. Cancer Nurs. 2022 Dec 28.  View on PubMed
  17. Shin J, Oppegaard K, Calvo-Schimmel A, Harris C, Cooper BA, Paul SM, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Cartwright F, Kober KM, Levine JD, Miaskowski C. Distinct Worst Pain Profiles in Oncology Outpatients Undergoing Chemotherapy. Cancer Nurs. 2023 May-Jun 01; 46(3):176-188.  View on PubMed
  18. Lin Y, Bailey DE, Xiao C, Hammer M, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Conley YP, Levine JD, Kober KM, Miaskowski C. Distinct Co-occurring Morning and Evening Fatigue Profiles in Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancers Receiving Chemotherapy. Cancer Nurs. 2022 Dec 01.  View on PubMed
  19. Calvo-Schimmel A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Shin J, Harris C, Oppegaard K, Hammer MJ, Cartwright F, Conley YP, Kober KM, Levine JD, Miaskowski C. Oncology Outpatients With Worse Anxiety and Sleep Disturbance Profiles Are at Increased Risk for a Higher Symptom Burden and Poorer Quality of Life. Cancer Nurs. 2022 Dec 01.  View on PubMed
  20. Harris CS, Kober K, Cooper B, Conley YP, Hammer MJ, Dhruva AA, Cartwright F, Paul S, Levine J, Miaskowski C. Symptom clusters in oncology outpatients: stability and consistency across a cycle of chemotherapy. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2022 Nov 29.  View on PubMed

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