Department of Epidemiology Habibul Ahsan M.D, M.Med.Sc. Associate Professor [email protected] SPH/ EPI PH18-12902 Telephone: 305-7636 Fax: 305-9413 Expert's guide Research interests Background: Dr. Ahsan received his medical degree (MBBS) from the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research, Dhaka University, in 1988, and his Masters degree in public health from the University of Western Australia in 1992. He received postdoctoral training in cancer epidemiology from Columbia University during 1993-1995 before joining the faculty at Columbia University, first as an Associate Research Scientist since 1995 and then as an Assistant Professor since 1997. Dr. Ahsan's primary research focus has been on the molecular and genetic epidemiology of cancer. He has been principal investigator (P.I.) on several completed projects funded by NIH, DOD and other private agencies investigating the effect of genetic factors and their interactions with environmental factors on breast and other cancers. Currently he is the P.I. of another DOD funded project examining the hormonal gene variants in breast cancer among breast cancer families. Dr. Ahsan's second major research focus has been on the carcinogenic effects of arsenic exposure and its interaction with genetic and other host factors at a population level. Dr. Ahsan, in collaboration with other investigators at Columbia, is currently leading a large NIEHS/EPA-funded (as part of the Columbia Superfund Research Program) cohort study investigating these questions among 10,000 adults in Bangladesh. Dr. Ahsan taught advanced epidemiology methods at the Mailman School of Public Health and most recently has introduced a new course for doctoral students on "methods in molecular/genetic epidemiology". He served in NIH review panel and is a member of numerous professional bodies including AACR, ASHG, ASPO and SWOG. He is also currently the Chair of the Polymorphism Working Group of NCI's Cooperative Family Registry for Breast Cancer Studies (CFRBCS).