Trancizeo Lipenga

Oesophageal cancer (EC) is among the top ten cancers worldwide. EC has two main histological forms – oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). ESCC is the dominant histological form, accounting for more than 90% of all EC cases globally. ESCC shows a sharp geographical dispersion with the highest incidence rates in regions stretching along eastern Africa, 'the African EC Belt' and Central Asia, 'the Asia EC corridor'. Alcohol and tobacco are the well-known ESCC risk factors, while hot beverages, mycotoxins, poor diet, and oral hygiene are putative risk factors. While DNA damage is essential in cancer development, the link between external insults and internal injury is not well illustrated. DNA adducts, the covalent modifications of DNA, are important biomarkers of exposure and an essential mode of action in cancer development. Considering the vital contribution of external vulnerabilities and their equivalent biological responses (in the form of DNA adducts), we primarily seek to establish the association between environmental and lifestyle exposures with DNA adduct predisposition among individuals residing in low and high ESCC incidence regions. We envisage that such data would be relevant in quantifying individual risks associated with external ESCC factors, consequently informing prevention and control strategies at both individual and policy levels.   
 

Trancizeo is a BOF-PhD fellow under the supervision of Prof. dr. Sarah De Saeger and Prof. dr. Marthe De Boevre at Ghent University. He holds an MSc in Infection Biology from the University of Glasgow, Scotland and a BSc in Biomedical Sciences from Mzuzu University, Malawi. Trancizeo's primary research interest is understanding oesophageal cancer exposome and its contribution to health policy.
 

• Lipenga, T., Matumba, L., Vidal, A., Herceg, Z., McCormack, V., De Saeger, S., De Boevre, M., 2021. A concise review towards defining the exposome of oesophageal cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.
• other publications: PubMed
   

• Lab address: Department of Bioanalysis, Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology & Public Health, Campus Heymans, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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• Trancizeo Lipenga is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks