University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)

Overview

Viruses cause 10-15% of cancers world-wide and tumor virus studies have led to discovery of many of the major cancer signaling pathways within the human cell. The successful development of vaccines that target liver and cervical cancer viruses reveals the importance of viruses in human cancer.

The Cancer Virology Program (CVP) brings together the expertise of nearly thirty scientists that explore ways that viruses contribute to human cancer. The CVP emphasizes four research themes: Viral Oncology (VO), AIDS-Related Malignancies (ARM), Viral Vectors for Human Gene Therapy of Cancer (VVGT), and New Pathogen Discovery (NPD). Over the past seven years, the Program has matured into an internationally-recognized center for investigating the biology of tumor viruses.

Recent CVP faculty accomplishments include the identification and characterization of viral miRNAs, analysis of genomic instability induced by tumor viruses and characterization of viral metagenomics. CVP has developed a unique initiative to discover new human cancer viruses, leading to discovery of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCV), the cause of most Merkel cell carcinomas.

The CVP at the UPCI Hillman Cancer Center serves as the nucleus for the Cancer Virology Program. It includes a state-of-the-art 10,000 sq. ft. laboratory area with six principle investigators and specialized BSL-3 and live cell imaging core facilities, which allows close scientific interaction with other cancer scientists. Other CVP faculty have academic homes in departments throughout the University of Pittsburgh Campus and make use UPCI supported core facilities for tumor virus-related research. The CVP seeks to catalyze interactions among this diverse group of investigators through seminar series, courses, collaborative research, shared facilities and joint research funding proposals.