The inherited mutated gene WNT9B, which functions normally in embryonic prostate development, increases risk of adult prostate cancer.

The Young Physician-Scientist Award recognizes “notable achievements” by researchers who are within five years of their first faculty appointment.

They are among more than 3,500 ASCI members, 48 of whom are current, full-time faculty members of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

With funding from the newly established Sarah Kyle Anorexia Nervosa Research Foundation, the researchers hope to identify biomarkers that will point to novel targets for prevention and treatment.

The study found that West African genetic ancestry was associated with shorter disease-free survival, particularly for women with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer.

Research could lead to improved diagnosis and the first effective treatment for the disorder, called “clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential,” or CHIP. 

Evaluating how genetic risk interacts with environmental risk factors such as sexual trauma is important for understanding how mental illness develops and identifying high-risk groups for early intervention.