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Name:	Roberd Bostick
Position:	Professor of School of Public Health, Epidemiology Professor of Winship Cancer Institute
Degree:	M.D., Medical University of South Carolina, 1976 M.P.H., University of Minnesota, 1990
Programs:	NHS, Full Member
Phone:	404 727-2671
Address:	424 Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Rd, 1518/002/1AA
Email:	rmbosti@sph.emory.edu
Research Descriptions:
Short:	Understanding the etiology and primary prevention of colon and prostate cancer.
Long:	My general research interest is in the role of modern lifestyle characteristics in the etiology and prevention of modern diseases and disorders. My particular research focus is on the role of diet and nutrition and energy balance in the etiology and primary prevention of colorectal and prostate cancers, emphasizing the use of biomarkers of risk and molecular epidemiologic methods in observational studies and chemoprevention trials. I also maintain an active interest in the practice of primary and secondary prevention in primary care. I am most recognized for my work on investigating the potential role of higher amounts of calcium intakes in reducing the risk for colon cancer, and on the development of colorectal epithelial cell proliferation from simple office rectal biopsies as a biomarker of risk for colon cancer. Other work has included investigations into the role of antioxidant micronutrients, such as vitamin E, in reducing the risk of colon and other cancers, and investigations of numerous risk factors for sporadic colon adenoma. My current work includes the development and measurement of other biomarkers for cancer and the risk for cancer due to the interaction of environmental exposures (diet, etc.) with genes that have common variants (polymorphisms). My research program is a multidisciplinary one with an integrated team effort involving laboratory, clinical, epidemiologic, and biostatistical scientists. Trainees can be exposed to dietary assessment in population studies; laboratory work; clinical research; traditional and molecular epidemiology; the development, validation and utilization of biomarkers of risk for colon cancer; and chemoprevention trials with nutritional agents. Specific experiences for trainees include: Laboratory: Basic histology, immunohistochemistry; image analysis. Human Study Designs: Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies and clinical trials. Study Implementation: Development of questionnaires, other forms, and research protocols; patient identification and recruitment; study visits; biological sample acquisition, handling, storage, and shipping for large studies; study monitoring and data management. Data Analysis & Publication: Statistical analysis, literature searching, preparation of research publications and presentations. Currently funded studies include two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2x2 factorial chemoprevention trials of calcium and vitamin D in patients with sporadic colorectal adenoma to determine whether these agents alone or in combination can 1) prevent adenoma recurrence, and 2) favorably modulate biomarkers of risk for colorectal cancer. In addition to my currently funded studies, other resources that I will make available to trainees in the NHS program are data sets and biological samples from three case-control studies of incident, sporadic colorectal adenomas, one case-control study of incident prostate cancer, several chemoprevention trials involving calcium and antioxidant micronutrients, and the facilities of my Molecular Epidemiology and Biomarkers Research Laboratory at the Winship Cancer Institute.