People

Dezheng Huo, PhD

Dr. Huo’s research interests focus on the genetic, molecular, and environmental factors underlying etiology, prognosis, and treatment of cancers, particularly as they relate to cancer in underserved populations. His research spans across several areas of cancer epidemiology and clinical epidemiology, including:



1. Genetic epidemiology of breast cancer, particular in women of African ancestry with the use of genome-wide association and whole genome sequencing approach.



2. Environmental and lifestyle factors for breast cancer etiology in African women and risk prediction model building, and strategy for cancer screening.



3. Health disparity in breast cancer outcomes in multiethnic patient cohort study with multi-dimensional data.



4. Investigation of the utilization and effectiveness of cancer treatment in real world using Big data.



5. Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol and clear cell adenocarcinoma of vagina and cervix, as well as other health conditions in later life.



6. Epigenetics and non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs in relationship to cancer prognosis and survival.

Expression- and splicing-based multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified multiple genes for breast cancer by estrogen-receptor status.
Expression- and splicing-based multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified multiple genes for breast cancer by estrogen-receptor status. Breast Cancer Res. 2024 Mar 21; 26(1):51.
PMID: 38515142

Multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified 235 genes for intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer.
Multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified 235 genes for intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024 Feb 23.
PMID: 38400758

Palliative Care Use Trends, Racial/Ethnic Disparities, and Overall Survival Differences Among Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer.
Palliative Care Use Trends, Racial/Ethnic Disparities, and Overall Survival Differences Among Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer. J Palliat Med. 2024 Feb 01.
PMID: 38301120

Racial differences in familiarity, interest, and use of integrative medicine among patients with breast cancer.
Racial differences in familiarity, interest, and use of integrative medicine among patients with breast cancer. Res Sq. 2024 Feb 01.
PMID: 38352451

Novel breast cancer susceptibility loci under linkage peaks identified in African ancestry consortia.
Novel breast cancer susceptibility loci under linkage peaks identified in African ancestry consortia. Hum Mol Genet. 2024 Jan 23.
PMID: 38263910

Benign breast disease and breast cancer risk in African women: a case-control study.
Benign breast disease and breast cancer risk in African women: a case-control study. Cancer Causes Control. 2024 Jan 05.
PMID: 38177455

Addition of polygenic risk score to a risk calculator for prediction of breast cancer in US Black women.
Addition of polygenic risk score to a risk calculator for prediction of breast cancer in US Black women. Breast Cancer Res. 2024 01 02; 26(1):2.
PMID: 38167144

Validation of the RSClin risk calculator in the National Cancer Data Base.
Validation of the RSClin risk calculator in the National Cancer Data Base. Cancer. 2024 Apr 15; 130(8):1210-1220.
PMID: 38146744

Association of ESR1 germline variants with TP53 somatic variants in breast tumors in a genome-wide study.
Association of ESR1 germline variants with TP53 somatic variants in breast tumors in a genome-wide study. medRxiv. 2023 Dec 06.
PMID: 38106140

Erratum: Feasibility of cancer genetic counselling and screening in Cameroon: perceived benefits and barriers.
Erratum: Feasibility of cancer genetic counselling and screening in Cameroon: perceived benefits and barriers. Ecancermedicalscience. 2023; 17:1604.
PMID: 37799949

View All Publications

Study section of P01
NIH/NCI
2019

Study section of R01/R21
NIH/NCI
2018 - 2023

Study section of U01, H3Africa
NIH/NHGRI
2017

Study section of P01
NIH/NCI
2017

Runner-up in the Up For A Challenge – Stimulating Innovation in Breast Cancer Genetic Epidemiology
National Cancer Institute
2016

Study section of U54
NIH/NIMHD
2015

Distinguished Investigator Junior Award
University of Chicago
2014

Breast Cancer Research Program study section
U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
2013 - 2014

Breast Cancer Research Program study section
U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
2010

Breast Cancer Research Program study section
U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
2008

Delta Omega
National Honor Society in Public Health
2005

Haenszel Award for Excellence in Research
University of Illinois at Chicago
2005

Student Travel Award
University of Illinois at Chicago
2000