Research Questions: The molecular mechanisms driving urological cancers (including prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer) remain partially understood. There is a critical need for novel and effective biomarkers for early detection and therapeutic targets. This project aims to integrate transcriptomics, proteomics, and Mendelian randomization (MR) to identify key molecular signatures and causal risk factors for these cancers.
Objectives:
a. To identify novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers by analyzing differential gene and protein expression between urological cancer cases and healthy controls using UK Biobank’s omics data.
b. To establish causal relationships between modifiable risk factors (e.g., lifestyle, metabolic traits) and urological cancers using a Mendelian randomization framework.
c. To construct molecular regulatory networks by integrating multi-omics data to reveal key biological pathways and potential new drug targets.
Scientific Rationale: Aberrant gene and protein expression are hallmarks of cancer. MR provides a robust method to infer causality, overcoming the limitations of traditional observational studies. The large-scale, prospective nature of the UK Biobank, with its rich genetic and multi-omics data, offers an unparalleled resource to achieve these objectives. This research promises to significantly advance our understanding of urological tumor biology, paving the way for improved clinical strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
