Dr. Michels is a molecular epidemiologist. A major goal of her research program is to find biomarkers that can be used to identify people who are at increased risk for developing endometrial and ovarian cancers. Dr. Michels is also interested in understanding how sex steroid hormones and reproductive tract infections affect future gynecologic health outcomes (e.g., cancer risk, menopause symptoms).

Michels KA, Geczik AM, Bauer DC, Brinton LA, Buist DSM, Cauley JA, Dallal CM, Falk RT, Hue TF, Lacey Jr. JV, LaCroix AZ, Tice JA, Xu X, Trabert B. Endogenous progestogens and colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2021; 30(6):110-1105. PMID: 33827983

Michels KA, McNeel TS, Trabert B. Metabolic syndrome and risk of ovarian and fallopian tube cancer in the United States: an analysis of linked SEER-Medicare data. Gynecologic Oncology 2019; 155(2):294-300. PMID: 31495456

Michels KA, Brinton LA, Wentzensen N, Pan K, Chen C, Anderson GL, Pfeiffer RM, Xu X, Rohan TE, Trabert B. Postmenopausal androgen metabolism and risk of endometrial cancer in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. JNCI Cancer Spectrum 2019; 3(3):pkz029. PMID: 31321379

Michels KA, Pfeiffer RM, Brinton LA, Trabert B. Modification of the associations between duration of oral contraceptive use and ovarian, endometrial, breast, and colorectal cancers. JAMA Oncology 2018; 4(4):516-521. PMID: 29346467

Michels KA, Wactawski-Wende J, Mills JL, Schliep KC, Gaskins AJ, Yeung E, Kim K, Plowden TC, Sjaarda LA, Chaljub EN, Mumford SL. Folate, homocysteine and the ovarian cycle among healthy regularly menstruating women. Human Reproduction 2017; 32(8):1743-1750. PMID: 28854586

A full list of publications can be found at: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/kara.michels.1/bibliography/public/