Faculty

Ulrike Peters

Research Professor, Epidemiology

206-667-2450

Education

PhD Nutrition, University of Kiel (Germany), 1998
MPH Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, 1999

Contact

206-667-2450

Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Box 358080
1100 Fairview Ave N,M4-B402
PO Box 1024
Seattle, WA 98109

Research Areas

Research Interests

My research interest centers on the genetic and molecular epidemiology of common complex diseases, including cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as intermediate traits, including inflammation and metabolic measurements. Within well characterized and diverse study populations, we are studying the impact of common and rare genetic variants across the entire genome, as well as interactions between genetic variants and environmental factors (such as diet, exercise, smoking and aspirin use). We are increasingly bringing in functional genomic data to inform gene-environment interactions as well as rare variant testing. In addition, we are conducting a large-scale study to integrate the tumor and host genome to investigate associations of germline genetic, environmental risk factors and survival in relation to colorectal cancer subtypes defined by existing tumor characteristics as well as novel somatic mutations in colorectal cancer. A further interest of us is the translation of our findings into public health practice and clinical care. Accordingly, we have developed comprehensive risk prediction models that can personalize screening decisions.

Recent Publications (PubMed)

Genetic underpinnings of the heterogeneous impact of obesity on lipid levels and cardiovascular disease.
(2025 Oct 6)
Genome Med 17(1): 113
Kim D, Highland HM, Smit RAJ, Hysong MR, Buchanan VL, Young KL, Zhao C, Spracklen CN, Kilpeläinen TO, Guo B, Darst BF, Cai Y, Wang Z, Lundin J, Berndt SI, Manson JE, Marouli E, Lange L, Lange E, Fornage M, Gignoux CR, Haiman CA, Rich SS, Buyske S, Loos RJF, Kooperberg C, Peters U, Avery CL, Gordon-Larsen P, Graff M, Raffield LM, North KE
Investigating the relationship of plasma microRNAs and colorectal cancer risk using genetic evidence.
(2025 Oct 2)
BMC Med 23(1): 532
Bouras E, Papagiannopoulos CK, Mustafa R, Sobieski D, Schmit SL, Wu AH, Brenner H, Li CI, Chan AT, Pellatt AJ, Zheng W, Keku TO, Moreno V, Um CY, Van Guelpen B, Phipps AI, Pai RK, Lewis SJ, Martin RM, Gunter MJ, Peters U, Dehghan A, Tsilidis KK
Polygenic risk score for type 2 diabetes shows context-dependent effects across populations.
(2025 Oct 1)
Nat Commun 16(1): 8632
Guo B, Cai Y, Kim D, Smit RAJ, Wang Z, Iyer KR, Hilliard AT, Haessler J, Tao R, Broadaway KA, Wang Y, Pozdeyev N, Stæger FF, Yang C, Vanderwerff B, Patki AD, Stalbow L, Lin M, Rafaels N, Shortt J, Wiley L, Stanislawski M, Pattee J, Davis L, Straub PS, Shuey MM, Cox NJ, Lee NR, Jørgensen ME, Bjerregaard P, Larsen C, Hansen T, Moltke I, Meigs JB, Stram DO, Yin X, Zhou X, Chang KM, Clarke SL, Guarischi-Sousa R, Lankester J, Tsao PS, Buyske S, Graff M, Raffield LM, Sun Q, Wilkens LR, Carlson CS, Easton CB, Liu S, Manson JE, Marchand LL, Haiman CA, Mohlke KL, Gordon-Larsen P, Albrechtsen A, Boehnke M, Rich SS, Manichaikul A, Rotter JI, Yousri NA, Irvin RM, biobank at the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine (CCPM), VA Million Veteran Program (MVP), Gignoux C, North KE, Loos RJF, Assimes TL, Peters U, Kooperberg C, Raghavan S, Highland HM, Darst BF
Physical activity and molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer: a pooled observational analysis and mendelian randomisation study.
(2025 Oct 1)
JNCI Cancer Spectr
Chalitsios CV, Markozannes G, Aglago EK, Berndt SI, Buchanan DD, Campbell PT, Cao Y, Chan AT, Dimou N, Drew DA, French AJ, Georgeson P, Giannakis M, Gruber SB, Gunter MJ, Harrison TA, Hoffmeister M, Hsu L, Huang WY, Hullar MA, Huyghe JR, Lynch BM, Moreno V, Murphy N, Newton CC, Nowak JA, Obón-Santacana M, Ogino S, Qu C, Schmit SL, Steinfelder RS, Sun W, Thomas CE, Toland AE, Trinh QM, Ugai T, Um CY, Van Guelpen B, Zaidi SH, Schoen RE, Woods MO, Brenner H, Andreson L, Pellatt AJ, Peters U, Phipps AI, Tsilidis KK
Transcriptome-wide Mendelian randomization exploring dynamic CD4+ T cell gene expression in colorectal cancer development.
(2025 Sep 17)
J Leukoc Biol
Deslandes B, Wu X, Lee MA, Goudswaard LJ, Jones GW, Gsur A, Lindblom A, Ogino S, Vymetalkova V, Wolk A, Wu AH, Huyghe JR, Peters U, Phipps AI, Thomas CE, Pai RK, Grant RC, Buchanan DD, Yarmolinsky J, Gunter MJ, Zheng J, Hazelwood E, Vincent EE
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