Lauren Fishbein, MD, PhD, MTR, is an Associate Professor in Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, with a secondary appointment in the Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine. Dr. Fishbein's research and clinical interests are in endocrine neoplasia and tumor genetics, including a special focus on pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are unique tumors that not only can become metastatic but can secrete hormones leading to high morbidity and mortality; interestingly, up to 40% are hereditary, with over 12 well-defined susceptibility genes. Many of these genes are in completely different pathways in the cell and yet create the same histological tumor type. And different susceptibility genes, even within the same protein complex, carry a different penetrance for tumor development and different risk of developing metastatic disease. These were the concepts that intrigued Dr. Fishbein to study pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma as a model of cancer genetics, to understand the interplay between germline and somatic genetics. Her research program works towards understanding the impact and implication of germline predisposition genetics, as well as understanding tumor development and transformation to aggressive and metastatic disease. One current project funded by the NCI is to identify genetic risk modifiers for penetrance of disease in the Hereditary Paraganglioma-Pheochromocytoma Syndromes.