Current Research Interests/Research Goals
Dr. Orlow directs the Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory which supports multidisciplinary investigations in the areas of cancer etiology, prognosis, and survivorship.
Her research interests include the study of host and tumor genetics, phenotypic characteristics and exposures that modulate cancer risk and prognosis. She is involved in skin melanoma research as an active member of the international “Genes, Environment, and Melanoma” consortium, also known as the GEM Study, since the year 2000; and she participates in the “Integration of Clinical & Molecular Biomarkers for Melanoma Survival or “InterMEL” consortium co-leading the biospecimens and pathology core for the program project. Research of cutaneous melanoma includes the study of genetic variants in the chemokine family and genes in other pathways to help distinguish the development of lethal melanoma at the time of diagnosis, and the extended evaluation of histopathologic features. She is also interested in the development of medium-throughput methylation assays and the application of the knowledge gained in GEM and InterMEL to distinguish benign melanocytic lesions from those that would progress into malignant and potentially lethal lesions, at early stages and using minimally invasive tools.
With her Lab team, Dr. Orlow supports molecular pathoepidemiologic research in breast cancer (J. Bernstein, PI), Barrett’s esophagus (M. Buas PI), and gastric cancer (X. Shu PI). In the areas of cancer survivorship her Lab helps assess the impact of genomic and biochemical markers and exposures on neurocognitive function (T. Ahles PI, J. Root PI), and she helps investigate the underlying biology linked to the response to interventions in cancer patients reporting cancer and treatment discomfort (e.g., pain, insomnia). In addition, her laboratory team processes, banks, and distributes biospecimens collected through and for large epidemiologic studies including the MSK Familial Pancreatic Cancer Registry, breast (WECARE, CASH), colorectal (the National Colonoscopy Study), and endometrial (EDGE) cancer studies.
Beyond her research activities and responsibilities, Dr. Orlow enjoys training and mentoring HS and College students.
View a full listing of Irene Orlow’s journal articles.
Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Irene Orlow discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
No disclosures meeting criteria for time period
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This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
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