Aziza Nassar, M.D.

The research goal of Aziza Nassar, M.D., is to improve the well-being of breast cancer patients through translational research that facilitates targeted, individualized therapy and risk-reduction strategies.

Focus areas

• Breast cancer. Dr. Nassar's research efforts have focused on prognostic and predictive biomarkers of breast cancer, and later on precursor and benign breast disease lesions. These novel biomarkers will enhance risk prediction in women with benign breast disease.

  In addition, they will help to determine which women will most likely progress to breast cancer, which in conjunction with other epidemiologic and clinical factors translates into a better refined risk prediction model than the currently available clinical models.

• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Dr. Nassar's recent research focus is on the development of novel biomarkers, especially those related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition. She is doing this by integrating molecular techniques, including gene expression profiling and comparative genomic hybridization.

  These novel biomarkers will potentially provide insights about important early events in breast carcinogenesis and eventually provide targets for individualized and targeted therapy.

• Molecular techniques. Another research interest is the application of molecular techniques, in particular fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH), to non-gynecologic specimens.
• Cervical cancer. Dr. Nassar is also interested in the epidemiology of cervical cancer and the role of human papillomavirus in cervical oncogenesis.

Significance to patient care

Dr. Nassar aims to improve care for people with breast cancer through research that leads to individualized therapy and risk-reduction strategies.