Katherine Lawson-Michod, MPH-PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Despite advances in ovarian cancer research, disparities in survival rates persist across populations. This talk presents findings from a large-scale tumor genomic analysis of Black and White women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Our study reveals that while tumor mutations are largely similar across racial groups, key differences—such as a higher prevalence of KRAS mutations and homologous recombination deficiency in Black women—may have clinical implications. These findings challenge assumptions about the role of tumor genetics in survival disparities and highlight potential missed treatment opportunities for all patients.

Dr. Katherine (Kayleigh) Lawson-Michod recently completed a PhD in Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah. With expertise in molecular epidemiology, their research focuses on leveraging sequencing data to explore the molecular features of cancer and their association with survival in human populations. Their doctoral work utilized computational methods to identify driver mutations, mutational signatures, and gene networks enriched in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma tumors.

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For Webex link, please contact Charlie Roscoe at roscoe@ohsu.edu.