Huma Asif, PhD

My research focuses on understanding disease mechanisms using multi-omics approaches. We integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic data with advanced statistical and machine learning methods to identify molecular biomarkers linked to disease progression and patient outcomes.

Over the past few years, I have developed a strong interest in exploring racial disparities in cancer. We utilize public datasets such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to investigate how epigenetic alterations, immune infiltration, and biological aging impact tumor behavior and survival across different racial groups. In one of my studies, I identified hypomethylation in endometrial tumors, revealing thirty-eight epigenetic signature genes (ESGs) significantly associated with survival outcomes in Black and White women. This work also showed that tumors from women with higher African ancestry exhibited increased hypomethylation compared to those with lower African ancestry, with these genes enriched in drug metabolism pathways. These findings offer new insights into how genetic ancestry may influence cancer progression and treatment response.

I am interested in examining biological aging in tumors to understand its contribution to racial disparities in cancer outcomes.

As part of my broader research activities, I collaborate with investigators at the High-Throughput Genome Center and the Department of Pathology to analyze next-generation sequencing data including ChIP-seq, RRBS, CUT&RUN, transcriptomics, and whole-exome sequencing to address diverse biological questions.