Parveen Bhatti
Academic Rank(s)
Associate Professor (Partner)
Distinguished Scientist, BC Cancer Research Institute
Phone
604-822-2772
pbhatti@bccrc.ca
Location
2206 East Mall Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Dr. Parveen Bhatti is a Distinguished Scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute, where he leads the Molecular Markers of Environmental Cancer Risk (EnviroMark) program. His multidisciplinary research integrates molecular biomarkers, including genomic, epigenomic, metabolomic, and gut microbiome measures, within population-based studies to reveal how occupational (e.g., night shift work), environmental (e.g., persistent organic pollutants), and lifestyle factors (e.g., sleep) influence cancer development. By linking real-world exposures to molecular alterations and disease pathways, this work supports precision prevention by identifying high-risk populations and molecular targets for intervention.
A key platform for this research is the BC Generations Project (BCGP), British Columbia’s largest population-based cohort study, of which Dr. Bhatti serves as Scientific Director. The BCGP’s extensive participant data and biorepository provide unique opportunities to investigate the molecular and environmental determinants of cancer risk. The platform’s depth and breadth of data support an exposomics approach, enabling comprehensive assessment of the complex interplay between environmental, occupational, and lifestyle factors that shape cancer risk and prevention opportunities.
Website
Scientific Director, BC Generations Project
Affiliate Professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Select publications
1. Quinn EK, Parks J, Gane T, McLeod CB, Peters CE, Shen-Tu G, Vena J, Aube M, Bhatti P. Wavelength-resolved measures of outdoor aritifical light at night and breast cancer risk. Environmental International 2025; 2025, 109871.
2. Trinh L, Parks J, McDonald T, Roth A, Shen-Tu G, Vena J, Murphy RA, Bhatti P. Pre-diagnostic serum metabolome and breast cancer risk: a nested case-control study. Breast Cancer Research 2025; 7.
3. Zanif U, Lai AS, Parks J, Roenningen A, McLeod CB, Ayas N, Wang X, Lin Y, Zhang JJ, Bhatti P. Melatonin supplementation and oxidative DNA damage repair capacity among night shift workers: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2025; 82:1-6.
4. Zanif U, Parks J, Tai I, Yip S, Babinszky S, Milne K, Watson P, Murphy RA, Bhatti P. Pre-diagnostic demographic, lifestyle, and health history factors in association with secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) expression in colorectal cancer tissue. Biomarker Insights 2025; 20.
SPPH 533 – Toxicology and Public Health
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles governing how hazardous exposures interact with the human body, from molecular and cellular processes to organ systems, and how these interactions influence disease development. This course arms students with the tools necessary to successfully interpret and communicate information about hazardous exposures that will support advanced studies in fields such as occupational and environmental health or in their careers as Public Health practitioners.