Marie-Claude Rousseau obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the Université du Québec à Montréal (1991), and an MSc (1998) and PhD (2003) both in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from McGill University. She did her postdoctoral training in Environmental Epidemiology at the Université de Montréal (2003-2004). In 2005, she became Assistant Professor at the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Affiliated Researcher at the CHUM Research Centre, and Adjunct Professor at the Université de Montréal (Department of social and Preventive Medicine).




Research

My research activities consist in epidemiological studies and relate to two main themes:

(i)   Infections and immunity in relation to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases, and;

(ii)  Environmental exposures and their link with cancer aetiology.

I am currently conducting studies looking into a possible link between non-specific stimulation of the immune function in early age, such as that induced by Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, and beneficial or detrimental effects on the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases later in life. For these studies, we are using information from the Quebec BCG vaccination registry and linking it to administrative health databases in order to determine occurrence of the diseases of interest. We have completed a validation study and are beginning a large study focusing on childhood exposures including immunizations and infections in relation to the development of asthma and allergic diseases.

I am involved in establishing the Canadian component of a multi-centre international cohort study on the national history of oropharyngeal precursor lesions, with Dr. Belinda Nicolau (co-Principal Investigator) at INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and a team of researchers from McGill University, the Jewish General Hospital, CHUM Notre-Dame Hospital, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY, USA). This pilot project that we are carrying out in Montreal (Canada), the USA, Brazil and India, will allow our group to implement and assess the procedures for an international prospective cohort study on oropharyngeal cancer precursors, in which we will address molecular (gene expression, DNA methylation), infectious (HPV), and lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, diet) factors associated with progression towards cancer.

Finally, I am working on several projects using data from a case-control study conducted in Montreal (1996-2002), aiming to understand the environmental causes of lung cancer. Through student supervision and various collaborations, I am involved in projects investigating several types of factors in relation to lung cancer risk including dietary intake of carotenoids and vitamin C, body mass index, socioeconomic status, as well as occupational exposures such as asbestos and lead compounds.


Education and training


Postdoctoral Fellow, Environmental Epidemiology and Population Health, Université de Montréal, QC

Ph.D., Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, QC

M.Sc., Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill, Montreal, QC

B.Sc., Biochemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal, QC


Other affiliations


Assistant Professor, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier

Adjunct Professor, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal


Selected publications

 
  1. Pintos J., Parent M.-É., Rousseau M.-C., Case B.W., Siemiatycki J. Occupational Exposure to Asbestos and Man-Made Vitreous Fibers, and Risk of Lung Cancer: evidence from two case-control studies in Montreal, Canada. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008; 50(11):1273-1281.
  2. Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-E., Nadon L., Latreille B., Siemiatycki J. The Authors Reply - RE: "Occupational Exposure to Lead Compounds and Risk of Cancer among Men: a Population-based Case-Control Study." American Journal of Epidemiology. 2008; 168(10):1217-1218.
  3. Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-E., St-Pierre Y. Potential health effects from non-specific stimulation of the immune function in early age: The example of BCG vaccination. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. 2008; 19(5):438-448.
  4. Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-E., Nadon L., Latreille B., Siemiatycki J. Occupational exposure to lead compounds and risk of cancer among men: A population-based case-control study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007; 166(9):1005-14.
  5. Parent M.-É., Rousseau M.-C., Boffetta P., Cohen A., Siemiatycki J. Exposure to diesel and gasoline engine emissions and the risk of lung cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2007; 165(1):53-62.
  6. Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-É., Pollak M.N., Siemiatycki J. Diabetes mellitus and cancer risk in a population-based case-control study among men from Montreal, Canada. International Journal of Cancer. 2006; 118(8):2105-2109.
  7. Rousseau M.-C., Parent M.-É., Siemiatycki J. Comparison of self-reported height and weight by cancer type among men from Montreal, Canada. European Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2005; 14:431-438.
  8. Siemiatycki J., Richardson L., Straif K., Latreille B., Lakhani R., Campbell S., Rousseau M.-C., Boffetta, P. Listing occupational carcinogens. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2004; 112(15):1447-1459.
  9. Rousseau M.-C., Abrahamowicz M., Villa L.L., Costa M.C., Rohan T.E., Franco E.L. Predictors of cervical coinfection with multiple human papillomavirus types. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2003; 12:1029-1037.
  10. Rousseau M.-C., Franco E.L., Villa L.L., Rohan T.E. Cervical coinfection with human papillomavirus (HPV) types as a predictor of acquisition and persistence of HPV infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2001; 184:1508-1517.

Marie-Claude Rousseau Researcher
Population Health Axis
Phone : (514) 890-8000 #15917
Fax: (514) 412-7106
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