Sarah Bernhardt

Biography

Emerging in the clinic are tests which use gene expression profiling to diagnose breast cancer subtype, and help guide treatment decisions. These tests have been demonstrated to be superior over traditional methods for diagnosing breast cancer. However, despite their availability to premenopausal women, these emerging tests have been developed and validated predominantly in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, hormones estrogen and progesterone fluctuate dramatically during the menstrual cycle, and these hormones are highly likely to affect the expression of genes involved in diagnostic tests. Thus, whether these tests are appropriate for premenopausal women remains unknown. My PhD project explores how hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle can effect breast cancer gene expression and subtype diagnosis. Outcomes of my research will determine the validity of using gene expression profiling for diagnosing breast cancer in premenopausal women.

Research Interest

Medicine,Medical Education,Research,etc