EDUCATION

• Postdoc (Molecular Epidemiology) 1993-1995, Columbia University
• M.Med.Sc. (Epidemiology), 1992, University of Western Australia
• M.B.B.S. 1988, Institute of Postgraduate Medicine & Research, Dhaka University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Ahsan’s research interests focus on studying the inter-relationships between environmental and genomic factors in cancer and other diseases and exploiting information on these relationships at a population level in developing and evaluating prevention interventions in humans.  Specifically, his research integrates the environmental, nutritional and life-style factors with measures of host factors and modern molecular genomics (involving DNA, RNA and protein variations) to understand the etiology, pathogenesis, prognosis and prevention of cancer and other disorders of national and international public health significance.  He has published extensively on the molecular epidemiology and prevention of health effects of arsenic exposure and also on the molecular and genetic epidemiology of breast and other cancers.  Dr. Ahsan’s ongoing NIH-funded and other major research projects include:

• Genome-wide Association Study of Risk and Prognosis of Early-onset Breast Cancer: As principal investigator, Dr. Ahsan directs a multi-stage genome-wide association study to identify novel genes for breast cancer risk and prognosis among 6,800 young (<50 years) women from the US, Germany, Canada and Australia, including 3,800 population-based early-onset breast cancer cases and 3,000 population controls.


• Meta-analyses of Genomewide Association Studies of Early-onset Breast Cancer Risk: As co-principal investigator of the NCI U-19 post-GWAS inititative, Dr. Ahsan and his colleagues are leading a genome-wide association meta-analysis to identify genomic determinants of early-onset breast cancer risk among >12,000 cases and controls (<50 years) in collaboration with investigators from several breast cancer research consortiums across the world.


• Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study [HEALS]: As principal investigator, Dr. Ahsan directs a prospective cohort study of ~30,000 men and women in Bangladesh to investigate the intermediate- and long-term pre-malignant, malignant and non-malignant health effects of environmental arsenic exposure from drinking water.


• Genetic Susceptibility to Arsenic-induced Skin Cancer: As principal investigator, Dr. Ahsan directs a series of nested case-control and case-cohort studies to investigate the gene-environment interactions in arsenic-induced pre-malignant and malignant skin lesions among 3,000 cases and controls.


• Bangladesh vitamin E and Selenium Trial [BEST]: As principal investigator, Dr. Ahsan directs a randomized placebo-controlled 2x2 factorial clinical trial of selenium and vitamin E supplementation among 7,000 individuals with pre-malignant skin lesions for the prevention of cancers and deaths. 


• Gene Environment Multi-phenotype Studies (GEMS): By efficient sampling from HEALS and BEST cohorts Dr. Ahsan is leading a large-scale genomic study to integrate variations in SNPs, gene expression and DNA methylation across the genome to comprehensively evaluate their independent and joint effects on a range of clinical and molecular phenotypes among 6,000 well-characterized Bangladeshi individuals. 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

       

• Pierce B, Kibriya MG, Tong L, Jasmine F, Argos M, Roy S, Rahaman R, Islam T, Parvez F, Melkonian S, Slavkovich V, Chen Y, Gamble MV, Graziano JH, Ahsan H. Genome-wide association study identifies 10q24.32 variants associated with arsenic metabolism and toxicity phenotypes in Bangladesh. PLoS Genet 2012; 8(2): e1002522. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002522.

• Jasmine F, Rahaman, R, Dodsworth C, Roy S, Paul R, Raza M, Kamal M, Ahsan H, Kibriya MG. Detection of cytogentic changes in colorectal cancer among paired tumor and surrounding healthy tissue using a genome-wide high density microarray: association with tumor characteristics and clinical relevance for individualized treatment. PLoS ONE 2012; PLoS ONE 7(2): e31968. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031968.

• Chen Y, Graziano JH, Parvez F, Liu M, Slavkovich V, Kalra T, Argos T, Islam T, Ahmed A, Rakibuz-Zaman M, Hasan R, Levy D, van Geen D and Ahsan H. Arsenic Exposure from Drinking Water and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study in Bangladesh. BMJ 2011 May 5;342:d2431. PubMed PMID: 21576319. 


• Pierce BL, Ahsan H. Genome-wide "Pleiotropy Scan" Identifies HNF1A Region as a Novel Pancreatic Cancer Susceptibility Locus. Cancer Res 2011; April 15. PubMed PMID: 21498636. 


• Zheng W, McLerran DF, Rolland B, Zhang X, Inoue M, Matsuo K, He J, Gupta PC, Ramadas K, Tsugane S, Irie F, Tamakoshi A, Gao YT, Wang R, Shu XO, Tsuji I, Kuriyama S, Tanaka H, Satoh H, Chen CJ, Yuan JM, Yoo KY, Ahsan H., Pan WH, Gu D, Pednekar MS, Sauvaget C, Sasazuki S, Sairenchi T, Yang G, Xiang YB, Nagai M, Suzuki T, Nishino Y, You SL, Koh WP, Park SK, Chen Y, Shen CY, Thornquist M, Feng Z, Kang D, Boffetta P, Potter JD. Association between body-mass index and risk of death in more than 1 million Asians. N Engl J Med. 2011 Feb 24;364(8):719-29. PubMed PMID: 21345101.


• Pierce BL, Ahsan H. Clinical assessment incorporating a personal genome. Lancet. 2010 Sep 11;376(9744):869; author reply 869-70. PubMed PMID: 20833292.


• Argos M, Kalra T, Rathouz PJ, Chen Y, Pierce B, Parvez F, Islam T, Ahmed A, Rakibuz-Zaman M, Hasan R, Sarwar G, Slavkovich V, van Geen A, Graziano J, Ahsan H. Arsenic exposure from drinking water, and all-cause and chronic-disease mortalities in Bangladesh (HEALS): a prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2010 Jul 24;376(9737):252-8. Epub 2010 Jun 18. PubMed PMID: 20646756.


• Parvez F, Chen Y, Brandt-Rauf PW, Slavkovich V, Islam T, Ahmed A, Argos M, Hassan R, Yunus M, Haque SE, Balac O, Graziano JH, Ahsan H. A prospective study of respiratory symptoms associated with chronic arsenic exposure in Bangladesh: findings from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Thorax. 2010 Jun;65(6):528-33. PubMed PMID: 20522851.


• Chen Y, Kibriya MG, Jasmine F, Santella RM, Senie RT, Ahsan H. Do placental genes affect maternal breast cancer? Association between offspring's CGB5 and CSH1 gene variants and maternal breast cancer risk. Cancer Res. 2008 Dec 1;68(23):9729-34. PubMed PMID: 19047151; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2779753.


• Kaklamani VG, Wisinski KB, Sadim M, Gulden C, Do A, Offit K, Baron JA, Ahsan H., Mantzoros C, Pasche B. Variants of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) genes and colorectal cancer risk. JAMA. 2008 Oct 1;300(13):1523-31. PubMed PMID: 18827209; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2628475.


• Kaklamani VG, Sadim M, Hsi A, Offit K, Oddoux C, Ostrer H, Ahsan H., Pasche B, Mantzoros C. Variants of the adiponectin and adiponectin receptor 1 genes and breast cancer risk. Cancer Res. 2008 May 1;68(9):3178-84. PubMed PMID: 18451143; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2685173.


• Gamble MV, Liu X, Slavkovich V, Pilsner JR, Ilievski V, Factor-Litvak P, Levy D, Alam S, Islam M, Parvez F, Ahsan H., Graziano JH. Folic acid supplementation lowers blood arsenic. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Oct;86(4):1202-9. PubMed PMID: 17921403; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2042963.


• Pilsner JR, Liu X, Ahsan H., Ilievski V, Slavkovich V, Levy D, Factor-Litvak P, Graziano JH, Gamble MV. Genomic methylation of peripheral blood leukocyte DNA: influences of arsenic and folate in Bangladeshi adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Oct;86(4):1179-86. PubMed PMID: 17921400.


• Heck JE, Gamble MV, Chen Y, Graziano JH, Slavkovich V, Parvez F, Baron JA, Howe GR, Ahsan H. Consumption of folate-related nutrients and metabolism of arsenic in Bangladesh. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1367-74. PubMed PMID: 17490975.


• Chen Y, Factor-Litvak P, Howe GR, Parvez F, Ahsan H. Nutritional influence on risk of high blood pressure in Bangladesh: a population-based cross-sectional study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1224-32. PubMed PMID: 17093178.


• Gamble MV, Liu X, Ahsan H., Pilsner JR, Ilievski V, Slavkovich V, Parvez F, Chen Y, Levy D, Factor-Litvak P, Graziano JH. Folate and arsenic metabolism: a double-blind, placebo-controlled folic acid-supplementation trial in Bangladesh. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1093-101. PubMed PMID: 17093162; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2046214.


• Gamble MV, Ahsan H., Liu X, Factor-Litvak P, Ilievski V, Slavkovich V, Parvez F, Graziano JH. Folate and cobalamin deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinemia in Bangladesh. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jun;81(6):1372-7. PubMed PMID: 15941889; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2204145.


• Bian Y, Caldes T, Wijnen J, Franken P, Vasen H, Kaklamani V, Nafa K, Peterlongo P, Ellis N, Baron JA, Burn J, Moeslein G, Morrison PJ, Chen Y, Ahsan H., Watson P, Lynch HT, de la Chapelle A, Fodde R, Pasche B. TGFBR1*6A may contribute to hereditary colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2005 May 1;23(13):3074-8. PubMed PMID: 15860866.


• Kaklamani VG, Baddi L, Liu J, Rosman D, Phukan S, Bradley C, Hegarty C, McDaniel B, Rademaker A, Oddoux C, Ostrer H, Michel LS, Huang H, Chen Y, Ahsan H., Offit K, Pasche B. Combined genetic assessment of transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway variants may predict breast cancer risk. Cancer Res. 2005 Apr 15;65(8):3454-61. Erratum in: Cancer Res. 2006 Mar 15;66(6):3345. PubMed PMID: 15833881.


• Ahsan H., Thomas DC. Lung cancer etiology: independent and joint effects of genetics, tobacco, and arsenic. JAMA. 2004 Dec 22;292(24):3026-9. PubMed PMID: 15613673.


• Ahsan H., Neugut AI, Garbowski GC, Jacobson JS, Forde KA, Treat MR, Waye JD. Family history of colorectal adenomatous polyps and increased risk for colorectal cancer. Ann Intern Med. 1998 Jun 1;128(11):900-5. PubMed PMID: 9634428.


• Chow WH, Blot WJ, Vaughan TL, Risch HA, Gammon MD, Stanford JL, Dubrow R, Schoenberg JB, Mayne ST, Farrow DC, Ahsan H., West AB, Rotterdam H, Niwa S, Fraumeni JF Jr. Body mass index and risk of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1998 Jan 21;90(2):150-5. PubMed PMID: 9450576.


• Ahsan H., Neugut AI. Radiation therapy for breast cancer and increased risk for esophageal carcinoma. Ann Intern Med. 1998 Jan 15;128(2):114-7. PubMed PMID: 9441571.


• Gammon MD, Schoenberg JB, Ahsan H., Risch HA, Vaughan TL, Chow WH, Rotterdam H, West AB, Dubrow R, Stanford JL, Mayne ST, Farrow DC, Niwa S, Blot WJ, Fraumeni JF Jr. Tobacco, alcohol, and socioeconomic status and adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 Sep 3;89(17):1277-84. PubMed PMID: 9293918.


• Ahsan H., Neugut AI, Bruce JN. Association of malignant brain tumors and cancers of other sites. J Clin Oncol. 1995 Dec;13(12):2931-5. PubMed PMID:8523057.

     

OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

• Professor, Department of Human Genetics
• Professor, Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine
• Professor, Biological Sciences Collegiate Division
• Director, Center for Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
• Pritzer Fellow, Biological Sciences Division
• Professor, Committee on Cancer Biology, Biological Science Division
• Senior Fellow, Institute of Genetics and Systems Biology