CRC Research
Our faculty engage in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) research related to the discovery of early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, epidemiology of CRC, and implementation and population science to eradicate CRC healthcare disparities. UW GI investigators have advanced our understanding of the role of epigenetics on CRC pathogenesis, apoptotic cell death pathways in CRC, effects of the gut microbiome on early CRC development, and evidence-based strategies to ensure equitable access to CRC screening.
Researchers
Dr. Dey is a UW Assistant Professor of Medicine. His primary research focus is the intestinal microbiota and his scientific role will be to develop an independent research program that will advance the understanding of the effect of the microbiome on human health and disease.
Dr. Dominitz is a Professor of Medicine at UW, and the Executive Director for Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System where he leads over one thousand VA gastroenterologists and hepatologists across the nation, and has created new programs for colonoscopy quality assurance. Dr. Dominitz is Co-Chair of a VA research study comparing screening colonoscopy to annual stool-based screening for colorectal cancer in over 50,000 Veterans.
Learn about Dr. Dominitz at the Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation (COIN)
Dr. Grady is a Professor of Medicine at UW and a Fred Hutch Cancer Center researcher. His lab has worked to develop a safe, accurate, and easy-to-administer test that picks up cancer warning signals in the DNA found in a blood or stool sample. Members of Dr. Grady’s lab have focused their research on a protein called TGF-beta receptor type 2, a protein often found to be abnormal in colorectal cancer patients that have methylated genes in their tumors. Scientists suspect that abnormalities in the TGF-beta receptor are one of the causes of colon polyps turning into colon cancer.
Learn about the Grady Lab
Dr. Issaka is a UW Assistant Professor of Medicine, and the Director of the FHCRC/UW Medicine Population Health Colorectal Cancer Screening Program. Her research focuses on decreasing colorectal cancer mortality through increased screening in medically underserved populations, and optimizing interventions that improve colorectal cancer care outcomes.
Learn about Dr. Issaka's research at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Dr. Ko is an Associate Professor of Medicine, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Systems and Population Health at UW. Her research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening and prevention, colorectal cancer epidemiology, and colonoscopy quality.
Learn about Dr. Ko's research publications
Resources
Risk assessment testing and treatment
learn moreFred Hutch Colorectal Cancer Research
learn moreFred Hutch Colorectal Cancer Specialty Clinic
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