STAGE International Speaker Seminar Series (ISSS) with Catherine Tcheandjieu

Catherine Tcheandjieu, DVM, PhD
Assistant Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
UC San Francisco

Abstract:
Genome-wide association studies have successfully pinpointed multiple genomic regions linked to coronary artery disease (CAD), with particular emphasis on the robust association of the 9p21 locus, especially prevalent among individuals of European descent. Notably, this locus has been consistently replicated at the genome-wide level in East Asian and South Asian populations, yet its replication remains absent in African populations. In my presentation, I aim to delve into the historical context surrounding the 9p21 locus concerning CAD. Furthermore, I will present my research findings, shedding light on how differences in population structure at 9p21, analyzed through haplotype analysis, contribute to variations in genetic predisposition to CAD across diverse ancestral backgrounds.

Speaker Profile:
Catherine Tcheandjieu, DVM, Ph.D., holds the position of assistant investigator at Gladstone Institutes and is an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UC San Francisco. She brings a wealth of education and experience to her roles.
Dr. Tcheandjieu earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Science from the National School of Veterinary Medicine of Algiers in Algeria. She furthered her academic journey by obtaining a Master’s degree in public health and ultimately a Ph.D. in genetic epidemiology from the University of Paris-Saclay in France. She then moved to the US where she did her postdoctoral training at Stanford University, her research focus was on the genetics of cardiovascular diseases. Tcheandjieu’s expertise spans across the fields of epidemiology, genomics, and statistics, and she skillfully applies her knowledge to unravel the complexities of diseases like cancer and cardiovascular conditions.

Her specific area of interest lies in mining extensive genomics and epidemiological datasets derived from diverse populations to better understand disease susceptibility, especially cardiovascular diseases. Through her work, she aims to uncover both genetic and environmental factors that contribute to disease susceptibility. Moreover, she pays attention to variations across different ancestries in these factors.

She has received various awards and recognitions, including the AHA second century Career Development award, Stanford Postdoc Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Champion Award, the Stanford Jump Start Award, and the Million Veteran Program early career investigator award. In addition, her team was the winner of the 2022 Bench to Bassinet Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (PCGC) and Cardiovascular Development Data Resource Center (CDDRC) Challenge Prize.

Sponsors
CANSSI Ontario STAGE (STAGE) is a training program in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics, housed at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and funded by CANSSI Ontario at U of T, an extra-departmental unit in the Faculty of Arts & Science that is home to the Ontario Regional Centre of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI).

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