The Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group (GMEG) focuses on bladder and pancreatic cancers, with an emphasis on translating aetiological insights into clinical and public health impact. Our work is distinguished by methodological innovation in multimodal data integration, combining omics layers with advanced image-derived features. We develop AI-driven frameworks to address key challenges in integrative epidemiology, including data harmonisation, feature selection, and robust validation across heterogeneous data sources. By leveraging high-dimensional biomarkers and imaging analytics, we refine exposure assessment, genetic susceptibility profiling, and outcome prediction. Our strategy centres on:
Disentangling genetic and non-genetic determinants and their interactions across molecular subphenotypes.
Building scalable, interpretable AI and statistical models that integrate epidemiological, clinical, omics, and imaging data.
Evaluating interventions using rigorously validated biomarkers and predictive algorithms to advance precision prevention and care.
Recent publications
Prip F, Lamy P, Lindskrog SV, Strandgaard T, Nordentoft I, Birkenkamp-Demtröder K, Birkbak NJ, Kristjánsdóttir N, Kjær A, Andreasen TG, Ahrenfeldt J, Pedersen JS, Rasmussen AM, Hermann GG, Mogensen K, Petersen AC, Hartmann A, Grimm MO, Horstmann M, Nawroth R, Segersten U, Sikic D, van Kessel KEM, Zwarthoff EC, Maurer T, Simic T, Malmström PU, Malats N, Jensen JB; UROMOL Consortium; Real FX, Dyrskjøt L (2025).Allelic effects on KLHL17 expression underlie a pancreatic cancer genome-wide association signal at chr1p36.33. Nat Genet 16, 4055. CNIO Publication.
Langtry A, Rabadan R, Alonso L, Filip I, Sabroso-Lasa S, Moreno-Oya A, Lawlor R, Carrato A, Alvarez-Gallego R, Iglesias M, Molero X, Löhr MJ, Michalski CW, Perea J, O'Rorke M, Barberà VM, Tardón A, Farré A, Muñoz-Bellvís L, Crnogorac-Jurcevic T, Domínguez-Muñoz E, Gress TM, Greenhalf W, Sharp L, Balsells J, Costello E, Kleeff J, Kong B, Mora J, O'Driscoll D, Scarpa A, Ye W, Real FX, López de Maturana E, Malats N; PanGenEU Consortium Investigators; Langtry A, Alonso L, Sabroso-Lasa S, Moreno-Oya A, Gómez-Rubio P, Molina-Montes E, Márquez M, Milne R, Alfaro A, Lobato T, Estudillo L, Real FX, Malats N, Scarpa A, Lawlor R, Beghelli S, Alvarez-Gallego R, Cubillo A, Hidalgo M, Peinado P, Salas I, Rodríguez Pascual J, Carrato A, Earl J, Caminoa A, Guillén-Ponce C, Rodríguez-Garrote M, Longo-Muñoz F, Ferreiro R, Pachón V, Vaz MÁ, Muñoz M, Iglesias M, Ilzarbe L, Álvarez-Urturi C, Bessa X, Bory F, Márquez L, Poves I, Burdío F, Grande L, Gimeno J, Molero X, Guarner L, Balcells J, Salcedo M, Merino X, Michalski CW, Esposito I, Kleeff J, Kong B, Mota C, Löhr MJ, Huang J, Verbeke C, Ye W, Yu J, Loinaz C, Perea J, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Teijo A, Peláez P, Farré A, Mora J, Martín M, … (2025).Deciphering the role of complement system genes in pancreatic cancer susceptibility and prognosis. Nat Commun 16, 10769. CNIO Publication.
Nieto-Sanchez A, Martinez-Lage M, Puig-Serra P, Carpintero S, Alonso-Yanez A, Ojeda-Walczuk P, Ibañez-Navarro M, Pita G, Moya FJ, Moreno C, Martin MC, Alonso R, Nuñez-Torres R, Sanchez-Arevalo Lobo VJ, Alonso-Guirado L, Malats N, Gonzalez-Neira A, Fernandez L, Roda-Navarro P, Torres-Ruiz R, Rodriguez-Perales S. (2025).Selective genome editing of amplified oncogenes triggers immunogenic cell death and tumor remodeling. Mol Can 25, 21. CNIO Publication.
He J, Alhamwe BA, Sabroso S, Carrato A, Hidalgo M, Molero X, Iglesias M, Perea J, Farré A, Tardón A, Dominguez-Muñoz E, Barberà V, Muñoz-Bellvís L, Löhr M, Greenhalf W, O'Rorke M, Gress T, Crnogorac-Jurcevic T, Gayà A, Langtry A, Kleeff J, Lawlor R, Real FX, Renz H, Malats N; PanGenEU Study Investigators. (2025).Low type-2 immune effectors modulate atopic diseases’ protective role in pancreatic cancer risk. Int J Cancer 157, 468-479. CNIO Publication.
Giaccherini M, Rende M, Gentiluomo M, Corradi C, Archibugi L, Ermini S, Maiello E, Morelli L, van Eijck CHJ, Cavestro GM, Schneider M, Mickevicius A, Adamonis K, Basso D, Hlavac V, Gioffreda D, Talar-Wojnarowska R, Schöttker B, Lovecek M, Vanella G, Gazouli M, Uno M, Malecka-Wojciesko E, Vodicka P, Goetz M, Bijlsma MF, Petrone MC, Bazzocchi F, Kiudelis M, Szentesi A, Carrara S, Nappo G, Brenner H, Milanetto AC, Soucek P, Katzke V, Peduzzi G, Rizzato C, Pasquali C, Chen X, Capurso G, Hackert T, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Uzunoglu FGG, Hegyi P, Greenhalf W, Theodoropoulos GEE, Sperti C, Perri F, Oliverius M, Mambrini A, Tavano F, Farinella R, Arcidiacono PG, Lucchesi M, Bunduc S, Kupcinskas J, Di Franco G, Stocker S, Neoptolemos JP, Bambi F, Jamroziak K, Testoni SGG, Aoki MN, Mohelnikova-Duchonova B, Izbicki JR, Pezzilli R, Lawlor RT, Kauffmann EF, López de Maturana E, Malats N, Canzian F, Campa D. (2024).A pleiotropy scan to discover new susceptibility loci for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Mutagenesis (in press). CNIO Publication.
Horgan D, Van den Bulcke M, Malapelle U, Normanno N, Capoluongo ED, Prelaj A, Rizzari C, Stathopoulou A, Singh J, Kozaric M, Dube F, Ottaviano M, Boccia S, Pravettoni G, Cattaneo I, Malats N, Buettner R, Lekadir K, de Lorenzo F, Alix-Panabieres C, Badreh S, Solary E, De Maria R, Hofman P. (2024).Demographic Analysis of Cancer Research Priorities and Treatment Correlations. Curr Oncol 31, 1839-1864. CNIO Publication.
Horgan D, Bulcke MVD, Malapelle U, Normanno N, Capoluongo ED, Prelaj A, Rizzari C, Stathopoulou A, Singh J, Kozaric M, Dube F, Ottaviano M, Boccia S, Pravettoni G, Cattaneo I, Malats N, Buettner R, Lekadir K, de Lorenzo F, Blanc P, Alix-Panabieres C, Badreh S, Hofman P, Solary E, De Maria R. (2024).Aligning Cancer Research Priorities in Europe with Recommendations for Conquering Cancer: A Comprehensive Analysis. HEALTHCARE-BASEL 12, 259. CNIO Publication.
Koutros S, Kiemeney LA, Pal Choudhury P, Milne RL, Lopez de Maturana E, Ye Y, Joseph V, Florez-Vargas O, Dyrskjøt L, Figueroa J, Dutta D, Giles GG, Hildebrandt MAT, Offit K, Kogevinas M, Weiderpass E, McCullough ML, Freedman ND, Albanes D, Kooperberg C, Cortessis VK, Karagas MR, Johnson A, Schwenn MR, Baris D, Furberg H, Bajorin DF, Cussenot O, Cancel-Tassin G, Benhamou S, Kraft P, Porru S, Carta A, Bishop T, Southey MC, Matullo G, Fletcher T, Kumar R, Taylor JA, Lamy P, Prip F, Kalisz M, Weinstein SJ, Hengstler JG, Selinski S, Harland M, Teo M, Kiltie AE, Tardón A, Serra C, Carrato A, García-Closas R, Lloreta J, Schned A, Lenz P, Riboli E, Brennan P, Tjønneland A, Otto T, Ovsiannikov D, Volkert F, Vermeulen SH, Aben KK, Galesloot TE, Turman C, De Vivo I, Giovannucci E, Hunter DJ, Hohensee C, Hunt R, Patel AV, Huang WY, Thorleifsson G, Gago-Dominguez M, Amiano P, Golka K, Stern MC; UROMOL Consortium; Yan W, Liu J, Li SA, Katta S, Hutchinson A, Hicks B, Wheeler WA, Purdue MP, McGlynn KA, Kitahara CM, Haiman CA, Greene MH, Rafnar T, Chatterjee N, Chanock SJ, Wu X, Real FX, Silverman DT, Garcia-Closas M, Stefansson K, Prokunina-Olsson L, Malats N, Rothman N. (2023).Genome-wide Association Study of Bladder Cancer Reveals New Biological and Translational Insights. Eur Urol 84, 127-137. CNIO Publication. Open Access
King SD, Veliginti S, Brouwers MCGJ, Ren Z, Zheng W, Setiawan VW, Wilkens LR, Shu XO, Arslan AA, Beane Freeman LE, Bracci PM, Canzian F, Du M, Gallinger SJ, Giles GG, Goodman PJ, Haiman CA, Kogevinas M, Kooperberg C, LeMarchand L, Neale RE, Visvanathan K, White E, Albanes D, Andreotti G, Babic A, Berndt SI, Brais LK, Brennan P, Buring JE, Rabe KG, Bamlet WR, Chanock SJ, Fuchs CS, Gaziano JM, Giovannucci EL, Hackert T, Hassan MM, Katzke V, Kurtz RC, Lee IM, Malats N, Murphy N, Oberg AL, Orlow I, Porta M, Real FX, Rothman N, Sesso HD, Silverman DT, Thompson IM, Wactawski-Wende J, Wang X, Wentzensen N, Yu H, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Yu K, Wolpin BM, Duell EJ, Li D, Hung RJ, Perdomo S, McCullough ML, Freedman ND, Patel AV, Peters U, Riboli E, Sund M, Tjønneland A, Zhong J, Van Den Eeden SK, Kraft P, Risch HA, Amundadottir LT, Klein AP, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Antwi SO. (2023).Genetic Susceptibility to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Risk for Pancreatic Cancer: Mendelian Randomization. Cancer Epidem Biomar 32, 1265-1269. CNIO Publication.
Yuan C, Kim J, Wang QL, Lee AA, Babic A; PanScan/PanC4 I-III Consortium, Amundadottir LT, Klein AP, Li D, McCullough ML, Petersen GM, Risch HA, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Perez K, Ng K, Giovannucci EL, Stampfer MJ, Kraft P, Wolpin BM. (2022).The age-dependent association of risk factors with pancreatic cancer. Ann Oncol 33, 693-701. CNIO Publication.
Kartal E, Schmidt TSB, Molina-Montes E, Rodríguez-Perales S, Wirbel J, Maistrenko OM, Akanni WA, Alashkar Alhamwe B, Alves RJ, Carrato A, Erasmus HP, Estudillo L, Finkelmeier F, Fullam A, Glazek AM, Gómez-Rubio P, Hercog R, Jung F, Kandels S, Kersting S, Langheinrich M, Márquez M, Molero X, Orakov A, Van Rossum T, Torres-Ruiz R, Telzerow A, Zych K; MAGIC Study investigators; PanGenEU Study investigators, Benes V, Zeller G, Trebicka J, Real FX, Malats N, Bork P. (2022).A faecal microbiota signature with high specificity for pancreatic cancer. Gut 71, 1359-1372. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Nagata N, Nishijima S, Kojima Y, Hisada Y, Imbe K, Miyoshi-Akiyama T, Suda W, Kimura M, Aoki R, Sekine K, Ohsugi M, Miki K, Osawa T, Ueki K, Oka S, Mizokami M, Kartal E, Schmidt TSB, Molina-Montes E, Estudillo L, Malats N, Trebicka J, Kersting S, Langheinrich M, Bork P, Uemura N, Itoi T, Kawai T. (2022).Metagenomic Identification of Microbial Signatures Predicting Pancreatic Cancer From a Multinational Study. Gastroenterology (in press). CNIO Publication.
Suarez-Cabrera C, Estudillo L, Ramón-Gil E, Martínez-Fernández M, Peral J, Rubio C, Lodewijk I, Martín de Bernardo Á, García-Escudero R, Villacampa F, Duarte J, de la Rosa F, Castellano D, Guerrero-Ramos F, Real FX, Malats N, Paramio JM, Dueñas M (2022).BlaDimiR: A Urine-based miRNA Score for Accurate Bladder Cancer Diagnosis and Follow-up. Eur Urol 82, 663-667. CNIO Publication.
Daca-Alvarez M, Martí M, Spinelli A, de Miranda NFFC, Palles C, Vivas A, Lachtford A, Monahan K, Szczepkowski M, Tarnowski W, Makkai-Popa ST, Vidal R, López I, Hurtado E, Jiménez F, Jiménez-Toscano M, Álvaro E, Sanz G, Ballestero A, Melone S, Brandáriz L, Prieto I, García-Olmo D, Ocaña T, Moreira R, Moreno L, Carballal S, Moreira L, Pellisé M, González-Sarmiento R, Holowatyj AN, Perea J, Balaguer F; GEOCODE and SECOC consortia. (2022).Familial component of early-onset colorectal cancer: opportunity for prevention. Brit J Surg (in press). CNIO Publication.
Bliziotis NG, Kluijtmans LAJ, Tinnevelt GH, Reel P, Reel S, Langton K, Robledo M, Pamporaki C, Pecori A, Van Kralingen J, Tetti M, Engelke UFH, Erlic Z, Engel J, Deutschbein T, Nölting S, Prejbisz A, Richter S, Adamski J, Januszewicz A, Ceccato F, Scaroni C, Dennedy MC, Williams TA, Lenzini L, Gimenez-Roqueplo AP, Davies E, Fassnacht M, Remde H, Eisenhofer G, Beuschlein F, Kroiss M, Jefferson E, Zennaro MC, Wevers RA, Jansen JJ, Deinum J, Timmers HJLM. (2022).Preanalytical Pitfalls in Untargeted Plasma Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Metabolomics of Endocrine Hypertension. Metabolites 12, 679. CNIO Publication.
Molina-Montes E, Coscia C, Gómez-Rubio P, Fernández A, Rianne Boenink R, Rava M, Márquez M, Molero X, Löhr M, Sharp L, Michalski CW, Farré A, Perea J, O'Rorke M, Greenhalf W, Iglesias M, Tardón A, Gress T, Barberà VM, Crnogorac-Jurcevic T, Muñoz-Bellvís L, Domínguez-Muñoz E, Harald Renz H, Balsells J, Costello E, Ilzarbe L, Jörg Kleeff J, Kong B, Mora J, O'Driscoll D, Poves I, Scarpa A, Yu J, Hidalgo M, Lawlor RT, Ye W, Carrato A, Real FX, Malats N, on behalf of the PanGenEU Study Investigators (2021).Deciphering the complex interplay between pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus subtypes, and obesity/BMI through causal inference and mediation analyses.. Gut 70, 319-329. CNIO Publication.
Lindskrog SV, Prip F, Lamy P, Taber A, Groeneveld CS, Birkenkamp-Demtröder K, Jensen JB, Strandgaard T, Nordentoft I, Christensen E, Sokac M, Birkbak NJ, Maretty L, Hermann GG, Petersen AC, Weyerer V, Grimm MO, Horstmann M, Sjödahl G, Höglund M, Steiniche T, Mogensen K, de Reyniès A, Nawroth R, Jordan B, Lin X, Dragicevic D, Ward DG, Goel A, Hurst CD, Raman JD, Warrick JI, Segersten U, Sikic D, van Kessel KEM, Maurer T, Meeks JJ, DeGraff DJ, Bryan RT, Knowles MA, Simic T, Hartmann A, Zwarthoff EC, Malmström PU, Malats N, Real FX, Dyrskjøt L (2021).An integrated multi-omics analysis identifies prognostic molecular subtypes of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Nat Commun 1, 2301. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Mocci E, Kundu P, Wheeler W, Arslan AA, Beane Freeman LE, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Canzian F, Du M, Gallinger S, Giles GG, Goodman PJ, Kooperberg C, Le Marchand L, Neale RE, Shu XO, Visvanathan K, White E, Zheng W, Albanes D, Andreotti G, Babic A, Bamlet WR, Berndt SI, Blackford AL, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Buring JE, Campa D, Chanock SJ, Childs EJ, Duell EJ, Fuchs CS, Gaziano JM, Giovannucci EL, Goggins MG, Hartge P, Hassan MM, Holly EA, Hoover RN, Hung RJ, Kurtz RC, Lee IM, Malats N, Milne RL, Ng K, Oberg AL, Panico S, Peters U, Porta M, Rabe KG, Riboli E, Rothman N, Scelo G, Sesso HD, Silverman DT, Stevens VL, Strobel O, Thompson IM, Tjonneland A, Trichopoulou A, Van Den Eeden SK, Wactawski-Wende J, Wentzensen N, Wilkens LR, Yu H, Yuan F, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Amundadottir LT, Li D, Jacobs EJ, Petersen GM, Wolpin BM, Risch HA, Kraft P, Chatterjee N, Klein AP, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ (2021).Smoking modifies pancreatic cancer risk loci on 2q21.3.. Cancer Res 81, 3134-3143. CNIO Publication.
López de Maturana E, Rodríguez JA, Alonso L, Lao O, Molina-Montes E, Martín-Antoniano IA, Gómez-Rubio P, Lawlor R, Carrato A, Hidalgo M, Iglesias M, Molero X, Löhr M, Michalski C, Perea J, O'Rorke M, Barberà VM, Tardón A, Farré A, Muñoz-Bellvís L, Crnogorac-Jurcevic T, Domínguez-Muñoz E, Gress T, Greenhalf W, Sharp L, Arnes L, Cecchini L, Balsells J, Costello E, Ilzarbe L, Kleeff J, Kong B, Márquez M, Mora J, O'Driscoll D, Scarpa A, Ye W, Yu J; PanGenEU Investigators, García-Closas M, Kogevinas M, Rothman N, Silverman DT; SBC/EPICURO Investigators, Albanes D, Arslan AA, Beane-Freeman L, Bracci PM, Brennan P, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Buring J, Canzian F, Du M, Gallinger S, Gaziano JM, Goodman PJ, Gunter M, LeMarchand L, Li D, Neale RE, Peters U, Petersen GM, Risch HA, Sánchez MJ, Shu XO, Thornquist MD, Visvanathan K, Zheng W, Chanock SJ, Easton D, Wolpin BM, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, Klein AP, Amundadottir LT, Marti-Renom MA, Real FX, Malats N (2021).A multilayered post-GWAS assessment on genetic susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. Genome Med 13, 15. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Julián-Serrano S, Yuan F, Wheeler W, Benyamin B, Machiela MJ, Arslan AA, Beane-Freeman LE, Bracci PM, Duell EJ, Du M, Gallinger S, Giles GG, Goodman PJ, Kooperberg C, Marchand LL, Neale RE, Shu XO, Van Den Eeden SK, Visvanathan K, Zheng W, Albanes D, Andreotti G, Ardanaz E, Babic A, Berndt SI, Brais LK, Brennan P, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Buring JE, Chanock SJ, Childs EJ, Chung CC, Fabiánová E, Foretová L, Fuchs CS, Gaziano JM, Gentiluomo M, Giovannucci EL, Goggins MG, Hackert T, Hartge P, Hassan MM, Holcátová I, Holly EA, Hung RI, Janout V, Kurtz RC, Lee IM, Malats N, McKean D, Milne RL, Newton CC, Oberg AL, Perdomo S, Peters U, Porta M, Rothman N, Schulze MB, Sesso HD, Silverman DT, Thompson IM, Wactawski-Wende J, Weiderpass E, Wenstzensen N, White E, Wilkens LR, Yu H, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zhong J, Kraft P, Li D, Campbell PT, Petersen GM, Wolpin BM, Risch HA, Amundadottir LT, Klein AP, Yu K, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ (2021).Hepcidin-regulating iron metabolism genes and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a pathway analysis of genome-wide association studies. Am J Clin Nutr 114, 1408-1417. CNIO Publication.
Lu Y, Corradi C, Gentiluomo M, López de Maturana E, Theodoropoulos GE, Roth S, Maiello E, Morelli L, Archibugi L, Izbicki JR, Sarlós P, Kiudelis V, Oliverius M, Aoki MN, Vashist Y, van Eijck CHJ, Gazouli M, Talar-Wojnarowska R, Mambrini A, Pezzilli R, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Hegyi P, Soucek P, Neoptolemos JP, Di Franco G, Sperti C, Kauffmann EF, Hlavác V, Uzunoglu FG, Ermini S, Malecka-Panas E, Lucchesi M, Vanella G, Dijk F, Mohelníková-Duchonová B, Bambi F, Petrone MC, Jamroziak K, Guo F, Kolarova K, Capretti G, Milanetto AC, Ginocchi L, Lovecek M, Puzzono M, van Laarhoven HWM, Carrara S, Ivanauskas A, Papiris K, Basso D, Arcidiacono PG, Izbéki F, Chammas R, Vodicka P, Hackert T, Pasquali C, Piredda ML, Costello-Goldring E, Cavestro GM, Szentesi A, Tavano F, Wlodarczyk B, Brenner H, Kreivenaite E, Gao X, Bunduc S, Vermeulen RCH, Schneider MA, Latiano A, Gioffreda D, Testoni SGG, Kupcinskas J, Lawlor RT, Capurso G, Malats N, Campa D, Canzian F. (2021).Association of Genetic Variants Affecting microRNAs and Pancreatic Cancer Risk. Front Genet 12, 693933. CNIO Publication.
Rosato V, Gómez-Rubio P, Molina-Montes E, Márquez M, Löhr M, O'Rorke M, Michalski CW, Molero X, Farré A, Perea J, Kleeff J, Crnogorac-Jurcevic T, Greenhalf W, Ilzarbe L, Tardón A, Gress T, Barberá VM, Domínguez-Muñoz E, Muñoz-Bellvís L, Balsells J, Costello E, Iglesias M, Kong B, Mora J, O'Driscoll D, Poves I, Scarpa A, Ye W, Hidalgo M, Sharp L, Carrato A, Real FX, La Vecchia C, Malats N; PanGenEU Study Investigators. (2021).Gallbladder disease and pancreatic cancer risk: a multicentric case-control European study. Eur J Cancer Prev 30, 423-430. CNIO Publication.
Pisano F, Gontero P, Sylvester R, Joniau S, Serretta V, Larré S, Di Stasi S, van Rhijn B, Witjes A, Grotenhuis A, Colombo R, Briganti A, Babjuk M, Soukup V, Malmstrom PU, Irani J, Malats N, Baniel J, Mano R, Cai T, Cha E, Ardelt P, Varkarakis J, Bartoletti R, Dalbagni G, Shariat SF, Xylinas E, Karnes RJ, Palou J (2021).Risk factors for residual disease at re-TUR in a large cohort of T1G3 patients. Actas Urol Esp 45, 473-478. CNIO Publication.
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