Naoko Sasamoto, MD, PhD

Dr. Naoko Sasamoto is a gynecologist and molecular epidemiologist whose research focuses on improving clinical outcomes of ovarian cancer and endometriosis by integrating -omics biomarker data to clinical and epidemiological data. While there are some novel therapies for ovarian cancer, there are currently no effective methods for early detection of this cancer in average-risk women. With most ovarian cancers diagnosed at a later — and deadlier — stage, there is a great need for tools and tests to identify the disease earlier. This gap has motivated much of Dr. Sasamoto’s research where she focuses on evaluating blood and ovarian tumor tissue-based biomarkers in multiple population-based studies. Dr. Sasamoto has used predictive modeling to improve CA125 as an ovarian cancer screening biomarker; she’s also been able to identify novel modifiable risk factors to prevent ovarian cancer. She recently examined the association between breastfeeding and ovarian cancer risk, showing that the practice has a protective effect. Currently, she’s focused on developing and validating a multi-omics blood biomarkers to improve earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer in the general population. Other research interests include applying -omics biomarkers to identify molecular subtypes of endometriosis and investigating biomarkers of chronic pain development in those with endometriosis.