How HPV hijacks cells' DNA-repair machinery
Interplay between the cellular DNA damage response and the HPV life cycle
This work looks at how high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) uses a cell's DNA-repair systems to help the virus grow, aiming to help people at risk for HPV-related cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321237 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the researchers use lab-grown human cells and molecular tools to see how HPV interacts with the cell's DNA damage response. They follow proteins such as ATM, RNF168, BRCA1, and 53BP1 to watch where viral DNA is copied and how it is repaired. The team creates and tracks DNA breaks and uses targeted methods to block or change repair steps to see how that affects HPV replication. The hope is to find specific steps the virus needs so future drugs could stop HPV from multiplying.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with persistent high-risk HPV infections or HPV-related precancerous lesions or cancers are the most relevant group who could benefit from findings or future trials.
Not a fit: People without HPV-related disease or with cancers driven by unrelated causes would be unlikely to benefit directly from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets or antiviral strategies to prevent or treat HPV-driven precancers and cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies have shown HPV taps DNA-repair pathways like ATM and BRCA1 and that disrupting some repair factors can reduce viral replication, but translating those findings into patient treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moody, Cary a — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Moody, Cary 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 below.