How a virus uses human gene machinery to spread in certain cancers
Official title: Regulation of Gammaherpesviral Late Gene Expression
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11448152 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying a herpesvirus linked to cancers in people with weak immune systems and are trying to block the virus from turning on its late-stage genes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | November 13, 2015 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $393,477 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AI122528-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448152 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with gammaherpesvirus-associated cancers or immunocompromised conditions who could participate in future antiviral development studies or share biological samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without gammaherpesvirus infections or related cancers may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus hijacks human gene expression to progress from early to late stages of its life cycle. The team plans to map the virus-host transcription complex and identify parts of the human machinery it relies on. They will create a screening platform to find compounds that stop late gene expression and virus production. The goal is to uncover new antiviral targets that could help prevent virus spread in patients at risk for virus-related cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new antiviral strategies to prevent progression and spread of virus-related cancers in immunocompromised patients.
How similar studies have gone: Past work on gammaherpesviruses has identified key host factors, but precise late-gene regulation and targeted antiviral compounds remain an area with notable ongoing discovery.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Glaunsinger, Britt a — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Glaunsinger, Britt a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.