Lily Paemka

Degrees

Current Research Activities

Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology

Characterizing Genetic and Pathogenic breast cancer risk factors in Ghanaian women. The burden of cancer in Africa is an expanding public health challenge. Breast cancer in the indigenous black population presents with an aggressive biology with a disproportionately high mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, 2.1 million women are affected annually and in 2018, 627,000 succumbed to the disease. Over 19.3 million women are estimated to suffer from the disease by 2025, with the majority from Sub-Saharan Africa. About 80% of Ghanaian women, compared to 15% in high-income countries, present with late stage (III or IV) disease. In Ghana, breast cancer accounts for 16% of all cancer cases and mortality is as high as 50%. A retrospective analysis on breast cancer subtypes from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital showed a disproportionately high percentage of younger women presented with breast cancer. The aggressive triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) sub-type is overrepresented in people of West-African ancestry and accounts for a disproportionate number of metastatic cases and deaths. Most breast cancer studies are largely Eurocentric and not necessarily representative of the African population. Breast cancer develops from complex genetic alterations in somatic mammary cells and is known to have a complex etiology involving epigenetic, genetic and environmental factors that include bacteria and viruses. The contribution of genetics to the pathogenesis of breast cancer in Africa remains largely unexplained, therefore the Ghanaian population presents an opportunity to identify novel variants. My lab therefore conducts research to provide comprehensive genetic data to help explain the contribution to breast cancer in black women and develop resources that could lead to novel molecular therapeutic options. As these risk factors are unknown in Ghanaian women, the Paemka lab therefore aims to identify germline and somatic variations that predispose Ghanaian women to breast cancer and identify pathogenic risk factors associated with the disease in the population. The long-term goal is to provide a comprehensive genetic landscape of breast cancer in black women and develop resources that could lead to novel molecular therapies. Biological samples collected from consenting women at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital are subjected to methodologies that include Next Generation sequencing and pathway analyses. By identifying and characterizing bacteria, viruses, cancer-predisposing genes and pathways involved in breast cancer, we may better understand the process of breast cancer tumorigenesis in our population and sub-Saharan Africa. To mitigate the high rates of late presentation of breast cancer in Ghanaian women, the Paemka lab, since 2018 has established and spearheaded the Nufu festival to engage the public, raise breast cancer awareness and provide free breast examinations.

Current profession

Fellowship with OWSD