Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr. El-Zein earned her Medical Degree followed by a Masters in Human Genetics from the University of Alexandria. She then completed her Doctoral degree in Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics at the University of Texas Medical Branch with a focus on cancer genetics. In 1997, she joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as a postdoctoral fellow and rose through the ranks to Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology. In 2015, Dr. El-Zein joined Houston Methodist as a Professor in the Department of Radiology and a full member of the Research Institute.
Dr. El-Zein is an active member of the national and international scientific community. She serves/served as a reviewer for the National Institute of Health, National Lung, Heart and Blood Institute and the American Cancer Society. Internationally, she is a grant reviewer for the Italian Ministry of Health. Dr. El-Zein also serves as a peer reviewer for several high impact journals.
Research interests
Dr. El-Zein’s research focus is on understanding the role of gene-environment interactions in the risk of cancer development. She has developed expertise in the area of biomarkers and genetic susceptibility to disease. She has applied unique markers to identify several inherited genetic traits that influence human sensitivity to different cancers such as lung, breast and lymphomas. Dr. El-Zein’s laboratory has a translational research approach, and is currently studying human populations using quantitative imaging coupled with molecular biomarkers to identify unique signatures that would improve the power of cancer risk assessment models. The results from these studies are providing new information that has significant and practical public health implications in the area of early detection and primary prevention of disease. The overall goal is to develop novel approaches to identify susceptible individuals at high risk of developing lung and breast cancers. New knowledge generated from these research endeavors are geared to fulfill the need for rapid and efficient translation of emerging new technologies and approaches for improved patient management, early detection and prevention.Dr. El-Zein’s research focus is on understanding the role of gene-environment interactions in the risk of cancer development. She has developed expertise in the area of genotypic and phenotypic biomarkers and genetic susceptibility to disease. She has applied these unique markers to identify several inherited genetic traits that influence human sensitivity to different cancers such as lung, breast and lymphomas. Dr. El-Zein’s laboratory has a translational research approach, and is currently studying human populations using quantitative imaging coupled with molecular biomarkers to identify unique signatures that would improve the power of cancer risk assessment models. The results from these studies are providing new information that has significant and practical public health implications in the area of early detection and primary prevention of disease. The overall goal is to develop novel approaches to identify susceptible individuals at high risk of developing lung and breast cancers. New knowledge generated from these research endeavors are geared to fulfill the need for rapid and efficient translation of emerging new technologies and approaches for improved patient management, early detection and prevention.
Education/Academic qualification
MBBCh, Alexandria University
MS, Alexandria University
Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
PhD, The University of Texas Medical Branch
External positions
Adjunct Professor, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sep 1 2016 → …Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology, University of Texas School of Public Helath
Sep 1 2009 → …Research Area Keywords
- Cancer
- Precision Medicine
- Imaging & Radiology
Free-text keywords
- Lung cancer
- Breast cancer
- Genetic instability
- Genetic susceptibility
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Network
Projects
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Identifying DNA adducts and associated metabolic alterations in bladder cancer of smokers
El-Zein, R. & Ensor, Jr., J. E.
4/1/18 → 3/31/23
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
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Molecular Discrimination between Benign and Malignant lung nodules
El-Zein, R., Kim, M. P. & Kopas, L.
5/24/16 → …
Project: Clinical Trial
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Integrative molecular and imaging approaches for risk of subtype specific breast cancer
8/7/15 → 7/31/21
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
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Lung COPD Progressive
Chang, J. C., Bernicker, E. H., Chen, S., El-Zein, R., Heyne, K., Niravath, P. A. & Zhang, J.
Project: Clinical Trial
Research Output
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2-Methoxyestradiol sensitizes breast cancer cells to taxanes by targeting centrosomes
El-Zein, R., Thaiparambil, J. & Abdel-Rahman, S. Z., Oct 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : Oncotarget. 0, 0, 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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Genomic Instability in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of studies using the Micronucleus Assay
Asanov, M., Bonassi, S., Proietti, S., Minina, VI., Tomino, C. & El-Zein, R., 2020, In : Mutation Research - Reviews in Mutation Research.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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Identification of circulating tumor cells using 4-color FISH: Validation of a noninvasive aid for ruling out lung cancer in patients with LDCT-detected lung nodules.
Katz, R., Zaidi, TM., Pujara, D., Shanbhag, ND., Truong, D., Patil, S., Mehran, RJ., El-Zein, R., Shete, SS. & Kuban, JD., 2020, In : Cancer cytopathology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access -
Identification of circulating tumor cells using 4-color fluorescence in situ hybridization: Validation of a noninvasive aid for ruling out lung cancer in patients with low-dose computed tomography–detected lung nodules
Katz, R. L., Zaidi, T. M., Pujara, D., Shanbhag, N. D., Truong, D., Patil, S., Mehran, R. J., El-Zein, R. A., Shete, S. S. & Kuban, J. D., Aug 1 2020, In : Cancer cytopathology. 128, 8, p. 553-562 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
3 Scopus citations -
Micronuclei and disease – Report of HUMN project workshop at Rennes 2019 EEMGS conference
Fenech, M., Holland, N., Kirsch-Volders, M., Knudsen, L. E., Wagner, K. H., Stopper, H., Knasmueller, S., Bolognesi, C., El-Zein, R. & Bonassi, S., Feb 1 2020, In : Mutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis. 850-851, 503133.Research output: Contribution to journal › Short survey
4 Scopus citations
Prizes
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Business and Professional Women Award
El-Zein, Randa (Recipient), 2008
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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President's Award for Research Excellence
El-Zein, Randa (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)