Dr. Burcu Darst is a genetic epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Public Health Sciences Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Her research is focused on identifying and understanding the genetic risk factors of prostate cancer in diverse populations. Her research program will examine: the genetic risk factors of prostate cancer to identify novel risk factors and ascertain the clinical and biological impact of known risk factors; the metabolic mechanisms through which genetic risk factors impact aggressive prostate cancer behavior; and the clinical utility and impact of including genetic information into prostate cancer screening.

Dr. Darst will investigate prostate cancer genetic risk factors and the clinical utility to improve increased prostate cancer risk identification, leading to improved screening guidelines. Dr. Darst’s research will be carried out in collaboration with other Washington-based initiatives and has high potential to reduce mortality and health disparities within diverse populations in Washington through substantial prostate cancer risk identification improvement.