Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Department of Epidemiology
Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh


UPMC Cancer Pavilion
5150 Centre Avenue, Suite 4C, room 467
Pittsburgh, PA 15232

Phone: 412-623-5891
E-mail: diergaardeb@upmc.edu



Research Interests

• Role of environmental factors, genetic variation and gene-environment interactions in the development, progression and treatment of cancer, including cancers of the lung, head & neck, colon and breast.
• Biomarkers for early detection of cancer, response to treatment, and risk stratification
• Molecular and genetic epidemiology.

Education and Training

• Leiden University (Leiden, the Netherlands) – M.Sc. Biochemistry, 1993
• Wageningen University (Wageningen, the Netherlands) – Ph.D. Molecular Epidemiology, 2004
• Dutch Cancer Society Training Fellowship, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, WA), 2003-2005
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, WA), 2005-2007

Current Research Support

• Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Head and Neck Cancer – Project 1: Pathway and GWAS SNPs: Role in SCCHN Risk, Outcome and Treatment Response (NIH/NCI P50 CA097190; 2010-2015). Role: Co-Leader
• SPORE in Lung Cancer – Project 2: Vitamin D3 Modulation of Pulmonary Inflammation and Lung Cancer Risk (NIH/NCI P50 CA090440; 2011-2016). Role: Co-Leader
• SPORE in Lung Cancer – Project 3: Lung Cancer Risk Prediction in the Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study (PLUSS) Cohort (NIH/NCI P50 CA090440; 2011-2016). Role: Co-Investigator
• Regulatory T Cell Function in Ovarian Cancer (NIH/NCI RO1 CA126841; PI: Moysich; 2009-2014). Role: PI subcontract

Selected Publications

Kurta ML, Moysich KB, Weissfeld JL, Youk AO, Bunker CH, Edwards RP, Modugno F, Ness RB, and Diergaarde B. Use of fertility drugs and risk of ovarian cancer: results from a US-based case-control study. Accepted for publication in Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev.

Cicek MS, Cunningham JM, Fridley BL, Serie DJ, Bamlet WR, Diergaarde B, Haile RW, Le Marchand L, Krontiris TG, Younghusband HB, Gallinger S, Newcomb PA, Hopper JL, Jenkins MA, Casey G, Schumacher F, Chen Z, DeRycke MS, Templeton AS, Winship I, Green RC, Green JS, Macrae FA, Parry S, Young GP, Young JP, Buchanan D, Duncan C. Thomas DC, Bishop DT, Lindor NM, Thibodeau SN, Potter JD, Goode EL; for the Colon CFR. Colorectal Cancer Linkage on Chromosomes 4q21, 8q13, 12q24, and 15q22. PLoS ONE 201, 7(5): e38175. Epub 2012 May 31. PMID: 22675446, PMCID: PMC3364975

Zhang Q, Kanterewicz B, Buch SC, Petkovich M, Parise R, Beumer J, Lin Y, Diergaarde B, and Hershberger PA. CYP24 inhibition preserves 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 anti-proliferative signaling in lung cancer cells. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2012, 355(1): 153-61. PMID: 22386975, PMCID: PMC3312998

Zhong S, Nukui T, Buch S, Diergaarde B, Weissfeld L, Grandis J, Romkes M, and Weissfeld J. Effects of ERCC2 Lys751Gln (A35931C) and CCND1 (G870A) polymorphism on outcome of advanced-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck are treatment dependent. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011, 20(11): 2429-37. PMID: 21890746, PMCID: PMC3210907

Buch SC*, Diergaarde B*, Nukui T, Day RS, Siegfried JM, Romkes M, and Weissfeld JL. Genetic variability in DNA repair and cell cycle control pathway genes and risk of smoking-related lung cancer. Molecular Carcinogenesis 2011 Oct 4 [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 21976407, PMCID: PMC3289753 *These authors contributed equally to this work.

Diergaarde B and Grandis JR. Human papilloma virus and head and neck cancer. Oncology (Williston Park) 2010; 24: 927-933. PMID: 21138174

Reeves KW, Weissfeld JL, Modugno F, and Diergaarde B. Circulating levels of inflammatory markers and mammographic density among postmenopausal women. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010, 127(2): 555-63. PMID: 21069450

Diergaarde B, Brand R, Lamb J, Cheong SY, Stello K, Barmada MM, Feingold E, and Whitcomb DC. Pooling-based genome-wide association study implicates gamma-glutamyltransferase 1 (GGT1) gene in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Pancreatology 2010, 10: 194-200. PMID: 20484958, PMCID: PMC2899150

Diergaarde B, Potter JD, Jupe ER, Manjeshwar S, Shimasaki CD, Pugh TW, DeFreese DC, Grambling BA, Evans I, and White E. Polymorphisms in genes involved in sex hormone metabolism, estrogen plus progestin hormone therapy use, and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 2008, 17:1751-1759. PMID: 18628428, PMCID: PMC2732341

Diergaarde B, Braam H, Vasen HF, Nagengast FM, Van Muijen GNP, Kok FJ, and Kampman E. Environmental factors and colorectal tumor risk in individuals with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2007, 5: 736-742. PMID: 17544999

Diergaarde B, Bowen DJ, Ludman EJ, Culver JO, Press N, and Burke W. Genetic information: special or not? Responses from focus groups with members of a health maintenance organization. Am. J. Med. Genetics 2007, 143(6): 564-569. PMID: 17318844

Bowen DJ, Balsam KF, Diergaarde B, Russo MM, and Escamilla GM. Healthy eating, exercise, and weight: Impressions of sexual minority women. Women & Health 2006, 44(1): 79-93. PMID: 17182528

Diergaarde B, Tiemersma EW, Braam H, Van Muijen GNP, Nagengast FM, Kok FJ and Kampman E. Dietary factors and truncating APC mutations in sporadic colorectal adenomas. Int. J. Cancer 2005, 113: 126-132. PMID: 15386431

Diergaarde B, Braam H, Van Muijen GNP, Ligtenberg MJL, Kok FJ, and Kampman E. Dietary factors and microsatellite instability in sporadic colon carcinomas. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. 2003, 12: 1130-1136. PMID: 14652271

Diergaarde B, Vrieling A, Van Kraats AA, Van Muijen GNP, Kok FJ, and Kampman E. Cigarette smoking and genetic alterations in sporadic colon carcinomas. Carcinogenesis 2003, 24: 565-571. PMID: 12663519

Diergaarde B, Van Geloof WL, Van Muijen GNP, Kok FJ, and Kampman E. Dietary factors and the occurrence of truncating APC mutations in sporadic colon carcinomas: A Dutch population-based study. Carcinogenesis 2003, 24: 283-290. PMID: 12584179