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Last Updated: 4/30/2008
| James P. Evans, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor |  |
Clinical Interests
My major interests lie within the field of clinical cancer genetics. Toward this end I direct the Clinical Cancer Genetics Services at the University of North Carolina. In the Cancer Genetic Clinic we evaluate and counsel patients who are perceived to be at high risk for cancer by virtue of their family history. This comprehensive clinic provides evaluation, counseling and risk assessment through pedigree analysis and genetic testing when appropriate.
The clinic has grown substantially since its inception 9 years ago. We now see, on average, approximately 30 patients per week in consultation. We counsel individuals with respect to their risk of cancer and while breast/ovarian cancer comprises the bulk of our activity, we see numerous patients with elevated risk for a great variety of different malignancies.
Genetic testing is performed both through Myriad Laboratories and in select cases is performed in-house for BRCA1/2.
I also direct the new Bryson Center for Human Genetics. This center seeks to integrate basic science investigation with clinical care. Part of this effort is a campus-wide "Biospecimen Processing facility" which serves to collect DNA samples and clinical information from a broad array of investigators in order to gain maximal amounts of information from genetic studies, facilitate such studies, and protect subjects of research.
Research Interests
My major interests lie within the fields of clinical cancer genetics and the emerging field of pharmacogenomics. Toward these ends I direct the Clinical Cancer Genetics Services at the University of North Carolina. In the Cancer Genetic Clinic we evaluate and counsel patients who are perceived to be at high risk for cancer by virtue of their family history. This comprehensive clinic provides evaluation, counseling and risk assessment through pedigree analysis and genetic testing when appropriate. We have studied attitudes towards genetic testing and uptake of testing by patients, as well as optimal testing strategies and the use of alternate testing strategies to illuminate the significance of genetic analyses that are of uncertain clinical significance.
Pharmacogenomics is the study of how individuals respond in unique ways to medications depending on their individual genetic status. We currently are studying the effect of genotype on patient response to tamoxifen and to the anticoagulant, warfarin. I am also interested in the ability of predictive genetic tests to evaluate an individual's risk of developing malignancy and am interested in how patients decide whether to undergo such testing. We have also explored differences in attitudes towards such testing among different groups of patients.
I am also interested in policy issues surrounding the emergence of genetics into the US healthcare system.
Recent Accomplishments and Honors
In 2006 I was appointed as Editor-in-Chief for Genetics in Medicine, the official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics.
I serve on the advisory committee to the US Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding issues related to Genetics, Health and Society.
I am a senior scientific advisor to ASTAR, the Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource. ASTAR is a US Congressionally mandated organization charged with educating the US judiciary about science and technology. Several thousand high court judges (at the federal level in the US and at the Supreme Court level internationally) have been educated through this effort in matters of genetics and biotechnology.
In 2004 I helped to organize a United Nations conference in Concepcin Chile that addressed trans-national discrepancies in the development and application of biotechnology.
I was recently selected for inclusion in Who's Who.
Training
1983:Ph.D, University of Kansas
1984: MD, University of Kansas
1984-1988: Resident and Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1989-1992: Fellow in Medical Genetics, University of Washington
Publications
Evans JP, Watzke HW, Ware JL, Stafford DW, High KA. Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding canine factor IX. Blood. 74:207-212, 1989.
Evans JP, Brinkhous KM, Reisner H, Brayer GD, and High KA. A point mutation in canine hemophilia B with unusual consequences. Proc. Natl. Acd. Sci. USA. 86:10095-10099, 1989.
Evans JP, and Palmiter RD. Retrotransposition of a mouse L1 element. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 88:8792, 1991.
Scherer SW, Poorkaj P, Allen T, Kim J, Geshuri D, Nunes M, Soder S, Stevens K, Pagon RA, Patton MA, Berg MA, Donlon T, Rivera H, Pfeiffer RA, Naritomi K, Hughes H, Genuardi M, Gurrieri F, Neri G, Lovrein E, Magenis E, Tsui L-C, and Evans JP. Fine mapping of the Autosomal dominant split hand/split foot locus on chromosome 7, band q21.3-a22. American Journal of Human Genetics. 55:12-20, 1994.
Palmer SE, Scherer S, Kukolich M, Wijsman EM, Tsui L-C, Stephens K, and Evans JP. Evidence for locus heterogeneity in autosomal dominant split hand/split foot malformation. American Journal of Human Genetics. 55:21-26, 1994.
Scherer S, Poorkaj P, Geshuri D, Nunes M, Geneuardi M, Tsui L-C, and Evans JP. Physical mapping of the human split hand/ split foot (SHSF) locus on chromosomes 7 reveals a relationship between SPSF and the syndromic ectrodactylies. Human Molecular Genetics. 3:1345-1354, 1994.
Nunes M, Pagon R, Disteche CJ, and Evans JP. A contiguous gene deletion syndrome at human 7q21- q22 and implications for the relationship between isolated ectrodactyly and syndromic ectrodactyly. Clinical Dysmorphology. 3:277-286, 1994.
Jarvik GP, Patton MA, Homfray T, and Evans JP. Segregation distortion in a human developmental disorder: split hand/ split foot malformation. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 55:710-713, 1994.
Marinoni JC, Stevenson RE, Evans JP, Geshuri D, Phelan MC, Shewartz CE. Split foot and developmental retardation associated with a deletion of three microsatellite makers in 7q21-q22.1. Clinical Genetics. 47:90-95, 1995.
Steiner RD, Evans JP, Uemichi T, Paunio T, and Benson MD. Familial amyloidosis, Finish type, in three generations of a Swedish-American family is caused by asparaginase substitution for aspartic acid at gelson residue 187. Human Genetics. 95:327-330, 1995.
Evans JP, Burke W, Chen R, Bennett R, Schmidt R, Dellinger EP, Kimmey M, Crispin D, Brentnall TA, and Byrd DA. Familial pancreatic adenocarcinoma: association with diabetics and exocrine insufficiency and early molecular diagnosis. Journal of Medical Genetics. 32:330-335, 1995.
Crackower MA, Scherer SW, Rommens JM, Hui CC, Poorkaj P, Soder S, Cobben JM, Hudgins L, Evans JP, Tsui LC. Characterization of the split hand/split foot malformation locus SHFM1 at 7q21.3-q22.1 and analysis of a candidate gene for its expression during limb development. Human Molecular Genetics. 5(5): 571-9, 1996 May.
Nunes ME, Schutt G, Kapur RP, Luthardt F, Kukolich M, Byers P, Evans JP. A second autosomal split hand/split foot locus maps to chromosome 10q24-q25. Human Molecular Genetics. 4(11): 2165-70, 1995 Nov.
Scherer SW, Heng HH, Robinson GW, Mahon KA, Evans JP, Tsui LC. Assignment of the human homolog of mouse D1x3 to chromosome 17q21.3-q22 by analysis of somatic cells hybrids and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Mammalian Genome. 6(4):310-1, 1995 Apr.
Brentnall TA, Rubin CE, Crispin DA, Stevens A, Batchelor RH, Haggitt RC, Bronner MP, Evans JP, McCahill LE, Bilir N, et al. A germline substitution in the human MSH2 gene is associated with high- grade dysplasia and cancer in ulcerative colitis. Gastroenterology. 109(1):151-5, 1995 Jul.
Evans JP. Genomics: Delayed Reaction. Hospitals and Health Networks, 74 (12):42-44. 2000
Hadler N & Evans JP. Medicalization of the Genome. Commentary in Current Anthropology, 42 (2):252-253. 2001
Evans JP, Skrzynia C, Burke W. The complexities of predictive genetic testing. British Medical Journal. 322: 1052-1056. 2001
Finkler K, Skrzynia C, Evans JP. The new genetics and its consequences for family, kinship, medicine, and medical genetics. Social Science and Medicine; 57(3): 403-412. 2003
Burke W, Acheson L, Botkin J, Bridges K, Davis A, Evans JP et al. Genetics in Primary Care: A USA Faculty Development Initiative. Community Genetics 5:138-146. 2002
McKelvey K and Evans JP. Cancer Genetics in the Primary Care Setting. J. of Nutrition. 133:3767S-3772S. 2003
Moorman P, Calingaert B, Evans JP, Hoyo C, Newman B, Skinner C, Sorenson J, Schildkraut J. Racial Differences in Enrollment in a Cancer Genetics Registry; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention; 13(8): 1349-1354. 2004.
Barrows DO, Shockley WW, Wright JD, Susswein L, Evans JP, Funkhouser WK and Loechner KJ. Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer in a Pediatric Patient with MEN 2B Clin Pediatr 45:463-467 2006.
Li T, Lange LA, Li X, Susswein L, Bryant B, Malone R, Lange E, Huang T-Y, Stafford D and Evans JP. Polymorphisms in the VKOR gene are strongly associated with warfarin dosage requirements in patients receiving anticoagulation. Journal of Medical Genetics 43(9): 740-744. 2006.
Susswein LR, Skrzynia C, Lange LA, Booker JK, Graham ML, Evans JP. Increased Uptake of BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing Among African American Women with a Recent Diagnosis of Breast Cancer. 2007. J. Clin. Oncology; 26:32-36.2008
Evans, JP. Khoury MJ. Evidence based medicine meets genomic medicine. Genetics in Medicine. 9, 2007
Evans, JP. A future for medical genetics: lessons from Catch 22. JP Evans. Genetics in Medicine. 9:1, 2007
Evans, JP. Celebrating the birthday of our intellectual common ancestor. Genetics in Medicine. 9:63, 2007
Evans JP. Healthcare in the Age of Genetic Medicine. JAMA 298(22): 2670-2672. 2007
OpEd Contributions / Newspapers
Evans JP. Refocusing the debate between Evolution and Intelligent Design. Op-ed article; Raleigh News and Observer; June 12, 2005
Evans JP. “Banking on DNA for Better Treatment” an exploration of the potential benefits and ethical quandaries associated with public DNA databanks. Op-ed article; Raleigh News and Observer; July 6, 2003
E-mail: jpevans@med.unc.edu
Telephone: (919) 966-2007
FAX: (919) 966-4151
Address: 111 Mason Farm Rd, CB#7264 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7264
