U01CA257328
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
Multiethnic GWAS and TWAS to Inform Risk Prediction for Prostate Cancer - Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCA) incidence is highest in African Americans and lowest in Asians. These long-standing racial/ethnic differences have yet to be explained. Genome-wide association studies of PCA have provided support for common and population-specific genetic effects for PCA and for a genetic basis of the underlying population differences in risk.
To further progress in understanding the genetic basis of PCA across populations, we propose to substantially augment the size of genetic association studies in men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry to create the largest genetic database of PCA ever assembled in these populations, with substantially greater statistical power for novel discovery of risk alleles for PCA as well as aggressive disease.
More specifically, we will expand studies in men of African ancestry from 10,368 cases and 10,986 controls to 34,000 cases and 74,000 controls, in men of Asian ancestry from 8,610 cases and 18,809 controls to 20,000 cases and 40,000 controls, in men of Latino ancestry from 2,714 cases and 5,239 controls to 10,000 cases and 20,000 controls, and in men of European ancestry from 82,000 cases and 61,000 controls to 117,000 cases and 517,000 controls, with all studies imputed to a multiethnic whole-genome sequence reference panel (e.g. TOPMED).
In Aim 1, we will search for novel common risk alleles for overall and aggressive PCA in ethnic-specific and multiethnic analyses. Within known and newly discovered risk regions, we will conduct multiethnic fine-mapping using novel Bayesian statistical approaches that incorporate functional annotations and biology with statistical evidence to identify independent markers of risk as well as the most promising functional candidates.
In Aim 2, we will create the first multiethnic genome-wide SNP-eQTL prostate reference panel for men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry using whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing of ~1,000 histologically normal, fresh-frozen prostate tissue specimens. We will characterize eQTLs in the sample and impute gene expression in men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry to perform a multiethnic transcriptome-wide association scan (TWAS).
In Aim 3, we will construct and evaluate a polygenic risk score (PRS) across populations, using known and novel risk variants from Aim 1 and TWAS loci from Aim 2. PRS validation testing will be conducted in three independent multiethnic cohorts (>38,000 PCA cases from ATLAS, All of Us, and CCPM).
We expect findings from this study will make a major contribution to our understanding of genetic susceptibility to PCA and lead to better risk models that more accurately predict a man's risk of developing PCA and are efficacious across racial/ethnic populations.
Prostate cancer (PCA) incidence is highest in African Americans and lowest in Asians. These long-standing racial/ethnic differences have yet to be explained. Genome-wide association studies of PCA have provided support for common and population-specific genetic effects for PCA and for a genetic basis of the underlying population differences in risk.
To further progress in understanding the genetic basis of PCA across populations, we propose to substantially augment the size of genetic association studies in men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry to create the largest genetic database of PCA ever assembled in these populations, with substantially greater statistical power for novel discovery of risk alleles for PCA as well as aggressive disease.
More specifically, we will expand studies in men of African ancestry from 10,368 cases and 10,986 controls to 34,000 cases and 74,000 controls, in men of Asian ancestry from 8,610 cases and 18,809 controls to 20,000 cases and 40,000 controls, in men of Latino ancestry from 2,714 cases and 5,239 controls to 10,000 cases and 20,000 controls, and in men of European ancestry from 82,000 cases and 61,000 controls to 117,000 cases and 517,000 controls, with all studies imputed to a multiethnic whole-genome sequence reference panel (e.g. TOPMED).
In Aim 1, we will search for novel common risk alleles for overall and aggressive PCA in ethnic-specific and multiethnic analyses. Within known and newly discovered risk regions, we will conduct multiethnic fine-mapping using novel Bayesian statistical approaches that incorporate functional annotations and biology with statistical evidence to identify independent markers of risk as well as the most promising functional candidates.
In Aim 2, we will create the first multiethnic genome-wide SNP-eQTL prostate reference panel for men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry using whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing of ~1,000 histologically normal, fresh-frozen prostate tissue specimens. We will characterize eQTLs in the sample and impute gene expression in men of European, African, Asian, and Latino ancestry to perform a multiethnic transcriptome-wide association scan (TWAS).
In Aim 3, we will construct and evaluate a polygenic risk score (PRS) across populations, using known and novel risk variants from Aim 1 and TWAS loci from Aim 2. PRS validation testing will be conducted in three independent multiethnic cohorts (>38,000 PCA cases from ATLAS, All of Us, and CCPM).
We expect findings from this study will make a major contribution to our understanding of genetic susceptibility to PCA and lead to better risk models that more accurately predict a man's risk of developing PCA and are efficacious across racial/ethnic populations.
Funding Goals
TO IDENTIFY CANCER RISKS AND RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES, TO IDENTIFY FACTORS THAT CAUSE CANCER IN HUMANS, AND TO DISCOVER AND DEVELOP MECHANISMS FOR CANCER PREVENTION AND PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS IN HUMANS. RESEARCH PROGRAMS INCLUDE: (1) CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL AND MOLECULAR CARCINOGENESIS, (2) SCREENING, EARLY DETECTION AND RISK ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING BIOMARKER DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION, (3) EPIDEMIOLOGY, (4) NUTRITION AND BIOACTIVE FOOD COMPONENTS, (5) IMMUNOLOGY AND VACCINES, (6) FIELD STUDIES AND STATISTICS, (7) CANCER CHEMOPREVENTION AND INTERCEPTION, (8) PRE-CLINICAL AND CLINICAL AGENT DEVELOPMENT, (9) ORGAN SITE STUDIES AND CLINICAL TRIALS, (10) HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES, AND (11) SUPPORTIVE CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF SYMPTOMS AND TOXICITIES. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO STIMULATE TECHNICAL INNOVATION, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY WOMEN AND SOCIALLY/ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERSONS. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING, AND FOSTER PARTICIPATION IN INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY WOMEN AND SOCIALLY/ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERSONS.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Los Angeles,
California
90033
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 353% from $677,928 to $3,068,628.
University Of Southern California was awarded
Multiethnic GWAS and TWAS to Inform Risk Prediction for Prostate Cancer
Cooperative Agreement U01CA257328
worth $3,068,628
from National Cancer Institute in May 2021 with work to be completed primarily in Los Angeles California United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research.
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 9/26/25
Period of Performance
5/1/21
Start Date
4/30/26
End Date
Funding Split
$3.1M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.1M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Subgrant Awards
Disclosed subgrants for U01CA257328
Transaction History
Modifications to U01CA257328
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
U01CA257328
SAI Number
U01CA257328-3151086386
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NC00 NIH National Cancer Institute
Funding Office
75NC00 NIH National Cancer Institute
Awardee UEI
G88KLJR3KYT5
Awardee CAGE
1B729
Performance District
CA-34
Senators
Dianne Feinstein
Alejandro Padilla
Alejandro Padilla
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0849) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $1,247,596 | 100% |
Modified: 9/26/25