Sara Lindstroem
Associate Professor, Epidemiology
Director of Research, Epidemiology
206-221-3148
saralind@uw.edu
Education
MSc Engineering Physics, Umea University, 2004
PhD Genetic Epidemiology, Umea University, 2007
Contact
206-221-3148
saralind@uw.edu
Box 351619
Department of Epidemiology
Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, 874A
Seattle, WA 98195
Bio
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Dr. Lindstroem (Lindstrom/Lindström) is a genetic epidemiologist who seeks to understand the genetic contribution to complex disease with an emphasis on cancer. She works at the intersection of statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology, where she always seeks to apply novel statistical methods on large-scale -omics data. By leveraging large-scale population-based studies, she studies how our genes and environment affect our risk of developing disease. She leads multiple international efforts to study genetic risk factors for cancer and mammographic density (R01CA194393, R01CA244670), and she is studying the genetics underlying a range of outcomes in people living with HIV (R01DA047045). Dr. Lindstroem also teaches PHG511 “Genetic Epidemiology”, EPI583 “Epidemiology Seminars”, and co-teaches the “Genetic Epidemiology” module as part of the UW Summer Institute of Statistical Genetics (SISG).
Research Interests
My research focuses on understanding the genetic contribution to common complex diseases, with a primary emphasis on cancer and linked traits. By leveraging long-running large population-based studies, I investigate how our genetics and environment affect our risk of developing disease.
Current research projects include studying the shared genetic origin between common cancers and the genetics underlying childhood obesity, breast tissue composition and venous thromboembolism. I am also interested in finding approaches to incorporate information about the functional characteristics of the genome in my studies. Finally, I am involved in several large-scale international collaborations that study the genetics underlying breast and prostate cancer.
Recent Publications (PubMed)
(2026 Feb 9)
BMC Prim Care 27(1): 66
Öberg NP, Lindström S, Bergqvist E, Ehnvall A, Vaez M, Sellin T, Sunnqvist C, Waern M, Westrin Å
(2026 Feb 5)
Am J Hum Genet 113(2): 392-398
Cheng S, Suger AH, Goss LB, Zhang J, Fuller H, Guo B, Lindström S, Darst BF
(2026 Feb 5)
BMC Psychiatry 26(1):
Berge J, Saric EF, Sellin T, Waern M, Westrin Å, Lindström S
(2026 Jan 13)
Int J Environ Res Public Health 23(1):
Hansson AL, Johnsson P, Eberhard S, Bergqvist E, Fröding Saric E, Karlsson L, Lindström S, Waern M, Westrin Å
(2025 Nov 2)
medRxiv
Wu X, Kim A, Breeze CE, O'Mara TA, Ramachandran D, Dörk T, Koutros S, Rothman N, Prokunina-Olsson L, Mancuso N, Lindström S, Kraft P
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