>> My name is Cheryl Cropp,
and I work in the
Statistical Genetics Section
with Dr. Joan Bailey-Wilson
here.
And we do studies of
inherited diseases,
particularly complex diseases
where there's a significant
health disparity.
One of those diseases that we
work on is in prostate cancer.
And I have a special
interest in prostate cancer.
There is...
Several of my family
members have had histories
of prostate cancer and
have actually succumbed
to the disease.
And so when I was doing my
graduate school training
in pharmacogenomics, I was
looking for the best way to come
up with targeted strategies
for improving the treatment
of prostate cancer in those
who have a genetic
predisposition for it.
And so that got me interested in
looking at genetic epidemiology
and the role it plays
in defining the disease
and having a better
understanding of it.
We have an affected
male here with DNA.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And then we also have,
one of the nephews...
>> Right.
>> ...has DNA.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And then this affected
individual has DNA as well.
So we have at least three
members of this family
who are affected with
prostate cancer...
>> Right.
>> ...that we could
use, and we have DNA.
>> For sequencing, right.
>> For sequencing.
And there's enough DNA too,
the quality of it is good.
>> And given this
was a linkage family,
I'll bet we've got samples on
the kids of most of these men.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And then, so when we
finish the sequencing,
we can look at what
these three share.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> And then they can go in
and genotype the spouses
and kids of these affecteds...
>> Mm-hmm.
>> ...to see do these affecteds
share those same variants.
>> Ok, I see.
>> And that will let us really
narrow in on what's the...
>> Mm-hmm.
>> ...real variant.
So Cheryl's pretty unique,
because she has this
pharmacy training,
she's got the pharmacogenomics
lab training,
and now she's getting the
statistical training so that
when she leaves here, she'll
be able to do the studies
that she really wants of how do
genetics not just cause prostate
cancer, but are there
genetic determinants
in how you respond to treatment.
Can you use genetic
information to figure
out which treatment is
appropriate for which patient?
And people are starting
to make some inroads
in that now in cancers...
>> Yeah.
>> ...and that's one of
the places she wants to go.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> And I'm sure she's
going to do great!
[Laughter]
>> Thank you.
With a good mentor like Joan,
it's definitely possible
[laughs].
>> [Laughs]
