Dr. Randa El-Zein

Regular Member

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Epidemiology

Research Interests:

• Gene-environment interaction
• Molecular epidemiology
• Genetic instability
• DNA damage
• Molecular cytogenetics
• HPRT gene mutation assay
• DNA repair
• Susceptibility genotypes

My research interests focus on understanding the role of gene-environment interactions and the modifying effects on the risk for development of cancer. Studies conducted integrate several endpoints that specifically measure levels of genetic instability induced by such interactions. In addition such endpoints are selected in a manner to allow a better understanding of the different mechanisms involved in the generated genetic instability (whether it is due to accumulated DNA damage, inhibition of apoptosis, specific mutations or cell arrests).

The ultimate goal of my research in the next few years is to develop approaches to identify individuals at high risk of developing adverse health effects due to being genetically susceptible to certain environmental insults. Such susceptible subgroups may benefit tremendously from screening or chemoprevention interventions. In addition, studies in these high-risk individuals will provide insight into applying these approaches to the average risk population.

Depending on the student’s interests, a tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience with molecular epidemiological approaches, conventional and molecular cytogenetic methods, determining DNA damage/ repair capacity using novel phenotypic assays.

Selected Publications:

Abdel-Rahman SZ, El-Zein R, Ammenheuser MM, Yang Z, Stock TH, Morandi M, Ward JR (2003) Variability in human sensitivity to 1,3-butadiene: Influence of the allelic variants of the microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene. Environ Mol Mutagen.;41(2):140-6.

Albrecht T, Deng CZ, Abdel-Rahman SZ, Fons M, Cinciripini P, El-Zein R (2004) Differential mutagen sensitivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from smokers and nonsmokers: Effect of human cytomegalovirus infection. Environ Mol Mutagen.;43(3):169-78.

Wang LE, Bondy ML, Shen H, El-Zein R, Aldape K, Cao Y, Pudavalli V, Levin VA, Yung WK, Wei Q (2004) Polymorphisms of DNA repair genes and risk of glioma. Cancer Res 64(16): 5560-3.

El-Zein R, Gu Y, Sierra MS, Spitz MR, Strom SS (2005) Chromosomal Instability in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes and Risk of Prostate Cancer. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention 14(3):748-52.

Additional Publications