Human Papillomaviruses
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the primary cause of over 97% of cervical cancers, and have also been associated with a subset of head and neck cancers as well as other cancers. There is currently no effective antiviral therapy for an existing HPV infection and nor is there any way to predict which infections are likely to progress to cancer. Since only tiny percentage of viral infections lead to cancer it is critical to develop ways to diagnose, treat and predict the outcome of HPV infections. The goal of this research is to characterize the global program of gene expression during HPV-induced carcinogenesis. We have performed a meta-analysis of microarray expression data of clinical samples and to identify gene expression changes associated with cervical tumors. In particular we are interested in how the molecular expression pattern changes during progression from an HPV infected cell to a cancer cell. Using this data we are generating a comprehensive map of the molecular networks and pathways that underlie the process of HPV–induced carcinogenesis. In addition, we are using HPV-infected cells in vitro to identify the function and relative importance of the identified pathways.
