Rosa Munoz Xicola

Rosa Munoz Xicola is an Assistant Professor of Genetics at the Yale School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in Digestive Diseases. Her research focuses on genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying colorectal cancer, particularly disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes across populations. She holds a PhD in Oncology and BA in Biochemistry from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

• Affiliations: Department of Genetics, Digestive Diseases Program, Yale Cancer Center
• Key Collaborations: Xavier Llor (MD, PhD), Joanna Gibson (MD, PhD), Benjamin Lerner (MD, MHS)

Her research interests include breast and colorectal neoplasms, DNA repair pathways, and healthcare disparities in cancer outcomes. She has pioneered studies on Lynch syndrome diagnosis enhancement and genetic criteria for CDH1 variants, aiming to improve early detection and reduce disparities.

Awards:

• Kushlan Junior Faculty Award (2017)

Research Themes:

• Molecular drivers of APC mutation-negative colorectal cancers
• Immune response in mismatch repair-deficient tumors
• Racial disparities in colorectal cancer etiology

Lab Focus: Integrates genomic, epigenomic, and clinical data to dissect cancer mechanisms and develop precision diagnostics.