The ASPIRE Path in Molecular Medicine

Broadly, my thesis research aims to link menopause and reproductive health to clinical treatments and cancer risk. Specifically, I will investigate contributing factors to menopause by examining correlations between age, medical history, parity, and self-reported race with various menopausal symptoms. This information will be used to identify shared genetic variants associated with risk and heritability for adverse menopausal comorbidities. Additionally, I plan to analyze potential links between surgical treatments for uterine fibroids and subsequent earlier menopause to the development of cancers later in life. Creating a polygenic risk score model to predict whether hysterectomies, oophorectomies, or myomectomies are related to cancer and tumor development could personalize clinical treatment options for uterine fibroids and potentially prevent unnecessary surgeries at younger ages. I will also explore whether post-menopausal or post-surgical hormone replacement therapy contributes to similar outcomes. My research aims to enhance the understanding of the genetic architecture of menopause, which will impact all individuals with a uterus. This aligns with the goals of the APMM by developing new human subjects research studies via integration of clinical insights and personalized medicine to directly improve quality of life for post-menopausal individuals.