Research Focus

Clinical Epidemiology, Public Health & Health Systems

Area of Research

Personalized health care and genomic interventions in health care, with a focus on hereditary breast/ovarian cancer syndrome and Lynch syndrome. Focus on cancer prevention and cancer control. Foundation of the consortium CASCADE (Swiss Cancer Predisposition Genetic Screening): International multidisciplinary initiative. Project management: Prediction of breast cancer risk and prognosis using machine learning techniques.

2018-2021
“The CASCADE cohort: A family-based cohort for investigating the use and impact of genetic testing and the development of comprehensive interventions for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer and Lynch syndromes in Switzerland”, Swiss Cancer League – KLS-4294-08-2017, Role: Principal Investigator

2019-2022
"SomPsyNet - Prävention psychosozialer Belastungsfolgen in der Somatik: ein Modellprojekt zur kollaborativen Versorgung“, Role: Co-Applicant

2019-2021
“Are we offering BRCA1/BRCA2 testing to the right women in Switzerland? Cost-effectiveness of the BRCA mutation testing threshold”, Swiss Cancer League - HSR-4671-11-2018, Role: Co-Investigator

2019-2023
“The DIALOGUE study: Using digital health to improve care for families with predisposition to hereditary cancer”, Swiss National Science Foundation – IZKSZ3_188408/1, Role: Principal Investigator

2021-2024
The CASCADE II study: use of genetic information to guide cancer surveillance for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer and lynch syndrome in Switzerland, Swiss Cancer Researh Foundation - KFS-5293-02-2021, Principal Investigator: Katapodi, MC. 
Bürki, N, Caiata-Zufferey, M, Chappuis, PO, Graffeo-Galbiati, R, Monnerat, C, Rabaglio, M, Wieser, S, Zürrer-Hardi, U. Co-Investigators.

2021-2022
Machine learning techniques for personalized breast cancer prognosis - Swiss BCpro, Swiss Cancer League - HSR-5222-11-2020, Principal Investigator: Ming, C. 
Chappuis, PO, Dinov, ID, Katapodi, MC, Rapiti, E, Schaffer, R.  Co-investigators

National Collaborations

• CASCADE Consortium National (Switzerland): European Center from Pharmaceutical Medicine University of Basel; Women’s Clinic and Gynecological Oncology University Hospital Basel; Institute for Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel; Research Group Human Genetics Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel; Medical Oncology Clinic Inselspital Bern; Oncology Services, Hospital of Jura, Delémont; Division of Genetic Medicine and Unit of Oncogenetics and Cancer Prevention, Division of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals; Institute of Oncology and Breast Unit of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel; University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland; Winterthur Institute of Health Economics, Zurich, University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur
• Cost-effectiveness of genetic testing: SAKK, Network Outcomes Research; University Hospital Zurich; European Center from Pharmaceutical Medicine University of Basel; Cantospital St. Gallen; Division of Genetic Medicine Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne; Unit of Oncogenetics and Cancer Prevention, Division of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals

International Collaborations

• CASCADE Consortium International: School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH, USA; University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands University of Iowa School of Nursing, Iowa, USA
• Machine Learning: Michigan Institute for Data Science and Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Biostatistics Branch/Biometric Research Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
• Health communication/ web-based interventions The Center for Health Communications Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA New York University, Langone Health, Perlmutter Cancer Center
• Symptom management, candidate gene approach in symptom management University of California School of Nursing, San Francisco, CA, USA University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PN, USA

The "DIALOGUE" study: Using digital health to improve care for families with predisposition to hereditary cancer” aims to (1) develop a digital health solution to support communication aboutcancer predisposition among HBOC families, based on linguistic and cultural adaptation methods of the Family Gene Toolkit for the Swiss and Korean population, (2) develop the K-CASCADE research infrastructure in S. Korea by expanding an existing research infrastructure developed by the CASCADE Consortium in Switzerland, (3) evaluate the efficacy of the aforementioned digital solution on psychological distress and communication of genetic test results, as well as knowledge of cancer genetics, coping, decision making and quality of life, and (4) explore the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the platform in Switzerland and in S. Korea.

CASCADE (data collection, data analyses and publications) The CASCADE cohort aims to (1) survey mutation carriers with HBOC or LS from clinic-based genetic testing records and determine their current cancer status and surveillance practices, needs for coordination of medical care, psychosocial needs, quality of life, and willingness to serve as advocates for cancer genetic services to blood relatives, (2) survey first- and second-degree relatives and first-cousins identified from pedigrees or family history records of HBOC and LS cases and determine their current cancer and mutation status, cancer surveillance practices, needs for coordination of medical care, barriers and facilitators to using cancer genetic services, psychosocial needs, and quality of life, and (3) explore the influence of patient-provider communication about genetic cancer risk on patient-family communication and the acceptability of a family-based communication, coping, and decision support intervention with focus group(s) of mutation carriers and relatives.

CDC (data analyses and publications) Randomized trial to test the efficacy of two interventions designed to increase screening and uptake of genetic testing by young breast cancer survivors and their at-risk female relatives.

Swiss-PROMPT (data analyses and publications) We used data collected during routine genetic consultations for hereditary cancer and machine learning analytic techniques for developing and validating a breast cancer predictive and a breast cancer prognostic tool. Grant application in preparation.