Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
My research focuses on understanding the role of complex exposures in cancer formation. How do exposures originating from diet, alcohol and tobacco use, the microbiome, chemotherapy drugs, and environmental contamination interact with cellular targets and disrupt normal cellular growth functions?
Employing approaches based on High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, we are developing methods to measure these exposures, assess their molecular effects, and investigate how they may result in an increase in cancer risk. Ultimately my goal is to develop tools to support preventive strategies, identify susceptible populations, allow early cancer detection and predict cancer treatment efficacy and outcome.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research Interest Keywords
- Mass Spectrometry
- DNA adductomics
- Alcohol
- Acetaldehyde
- Microbiome
- Colibactin
- Tobacco
- Metabolomics
- DNA damage
- Genotoxicity
- Alkylating drugs
- Exposures
Fingerprint
The Fingerprint is created by mining the titles and abstracts of the person's research outputs and projects/funding awards to create an index of weighted terms from discipline-specific thesauri.
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Effect of highly effective modulator therapies on pro-oncogenic microbes in the cystic fibrosis intestine
Scott, P. M. (PI), Balbo, S. (CoI), Khoruts, A. (CoI) & Blankenheim, Z. (Other Role)
5/1/25 → 4/30/28
Project: Research project
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Dissecting the role of acetaldehyde in oral carcinogenesis
Balbo, S. (PI), Johnson, A. J. (CoI), Rendahl, A. (CoI) & Walmsley, S. J. (CoI)
NIH NATIONAL INST ON ALCOHOL ABUSE & ALC
9/20/22 → 8/31/27
Project: Research project
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Understanding the Mechanism of a gut microbial genotoxin
Balbo, S. (PI) & Villalta, P. W. (CoI)
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, NIH NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
8/1/21 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
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Minnesota HHEAR Targeted Analysis Laboratory
Peterson, L. A. (PI), Balbo, S. (CoI), Gross, M. D. (CoI), Hecht, S. S. (CoI), Murphy, S. E. (CoI), Stepanov, I. (CoI), Turesky, R. (CoI) & Villalta, P. W. (CoI)
NIH NATIONAL INST OF ENVIRON HEALTH SCI
9/5/19 → 12/31/25
Project: Research project
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The role of colibactin in CF-associated colon cancer
Khoruts, A. (PI), Balbo, S. (CoI), Ishii, S. (CoI) & Staley, C. (CoI)
9/1/22 → 8/31/24
Project: Research project
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Investigating antineoplastic drug surface contamination in veterinary settings and on canine patients
Floeder, A., Huang, J., Bergsrud, K., Lilly, R., Borgatti, A., Arnold, S. & Balbo, S., Oct 1 2025, In: Annals of Work Exposures and Health. 69, 8, p. 843-854 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Positive Ion Tandem Mass Spectrometry Offers Enhanced Structural Insights for the Discovery of Mercapturic Acids
Murray, K. J., Mckeon, D., Lecchi, C., Maertens, L., Villalta, P. W. & Balbo, S., Apr 21 2025, In: Chemical research in toxicology. 38, 4, p. 635-646 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Scopus citations -
Quantitation by Liquid Chromatography-Nanoelectrospray Ionization-High Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Methyl and Ethyl DNA Adducts in Oral Cells from Cigarette Smokers and Nonsmokers of the Shanghai Cohort Study
Cheng, G., Luedtke, M. W., Wang, R., Yuan, J. M., Balbo, S. & Hecht, S. S., Oct 20 2025, In: Chemical research in toxicology. 38, 10, p. 1742-1749 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Dysfunctional mucus structure in cystic fibrosis increases vulnerability to colibactin-mediated DNA adducts in the colon mucosa
Mandarino Alves, A., Lecchi, C., Lopez, S., Stornetta, A., Mathai, P. P., Villalta, P. W., Ishii, S., Balskus, E. P., Balbo, S. & Khoruts, A., 2024, In: Gut microbes. 16, 1, 2387877.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access6 Scopus citations -
Nucleobase adducts bind MR1 and stimulate MR1-restricted T cells
Vacchini, A., Chancellor, A., Yang, Q., Colombo, R., Spagnuolo, J., Berloffa, G., Joss, D., Øyås, O., Lecchi, C., De Simone, G., Beshirova, A., Nosi, V., Loureiro, J. P., Morabito, A., De Gregorio, C., Pfeffer, M., Schaefer, V., Prota, G., Zippelius, A. & Stelling, J. & 8 others, , May 2024, In: Science Immunology. 9, 95, eadn0126.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
13 Scopus citations