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)

Associations between calcium intake and T cell infiltration in colorectal tumours.
(2025 May 15)
Cancer Prev Res (Phila)
Wesselink E, Thomas CE, Takashima Y, Mizuno H, Buchanan DD, Qu C, Hsu L, Dias Costa A, Ugai S, Zhong Y, Huyghe JR, Thomas S, Gallinger S, Grant RC, Le Marchand L, Masugi Y, van Duijnhoven FJ, Ugai T, Ogino S, Nowak JA, Peters U, Phipps AI
Transcriptome-wide Mendelian randomisation exploring dynamic CD4+ T cell gene expression in colorectal cancer development.
(2025 Apr 17)
medRxiv
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
Mendelian randomization study of sleep traits and risk of colorectal cancer.
(2025 Apr 18)
Sci Rep 15(1): 13478
Dimopoulou O, Fuller H, Richmond RC, Bouras E, Hayes B, Dimou N, Murphy N, Brenner H, Gsur A, Le Marchand L, Moreno V, Pai RK, Phipps AI, Um CY, van Duijnhoven FJB, Vodicka P, Martin RM, Platz EA, Gunter MJ, Peters U, Lewis SJ, Cao Y, Tsilidis KK
Density of T cell subsets in colorectal cancer in relation to disease-specific survival.
(2025 Apr 17)
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev
Thomas CE, Takashima Y, Buchanan DD, Wesselink E, Qu C, Hsu L, Dias Costa A, Gallinger S, Grant RC, Huyghe JR, Thomas S, Ugai S, Zhong Y, Matsuda K, Ugai T, Peters U, Ogino S, Nowak JA, Phipps AI
Whole genome sequencing analysis of body mass index identifies novel African ancestry-specific risk allele.
(2025 Apr 11)
Nat Commun 16(1): 3470
Zhang X, Brody JA, Graff M, Highland HM, Chami N, Xu H, Wang Z, Ferrier KR, Chittoor G, Josyula NS, Meyer M, Gupta S, Li X, Li Z, Allison MA, Becker DM, Bielak LF, Bis JC, Boorgula MP, Bowden DW, Broome JG, Buth EJ, Carlson CS, Chang KM, Chavan S, Chiu YF, Chuang LM, Conomos MP, DeMeo DL, Du M, Duggirala R, Eng C, Fohner AE, Freedman BI, Garrett ME, Guo X, Haiman C, Heavner BD, Hidalgo B, Hixson JE, Ho YL, Hobbs BD, Hu D, Hui Q, Hwu CM, Jackson RD, Jain D, Kalyani RR, Kardia SLR, Kelly TN, Lange EM, LeNoir M, Li C, Le Marchand L, McDonald MN, McHugh CP, Morrison AC, Naseri T, NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Consortium, O'Connell J, O'Donnell CJ, Palmer ND, Pankow JS, Perry JA, Peters U, Preuss MH, Rao DC, Regan EA, Reupena SM, Roden DM, Rodriguez-Santana J, Sitlani CM, Smith JA, Tiwari HK, Vasan RS, Wang Z, Weeks DE, Wessel J, Wiggins KL, Wilkens LR, Wilson PWF, Yanek LR, Yoneda ZT, Zhao W, Zöllner S, Arnett DK, Ashley-Koch AE, Barnes KC, Blangero J, Boerwinkle E, Burchard EG, Carson AP, Chasman DI, Ida Chen YD, Curran JE, Fornage M, Gordeuk VR, He J, Heckbert SR, Hou L, Irvin MR, Kooperberg C, Minster RL, Mitchell BD, Nouraie M, Psaty BM, Raffield LM, Reiner AP, Rich SS, Rotter JI, Benjamin Shoemaker M, Smith NL, Taylor KD, Telen MJ, Weiss ST, Zhang Y, Heard-Costa N, Sun YV, Lin X, Cupples LA, Lange LA, Liu CT, Loos RJF, North KE, Justice AE
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