# Center for Translational Viral Oncology (CTVO)

> **NIH NIH P20** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2021 · $1,977,766

## Abstract

Abstract: The primary goal of this COBRE is to strengthen the biomedical research infrastructure in Louisiana
by training Promising Junior Investigators (PJIs) who can develop independent research addressing a major
health problem in our region. Virus-associated cancers remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in our
region and disproportionately affect the African American population. These include HPV- associated cervical,
anogenital, and head and neck cancers, KSHV-associated Kaposi sarcoma and primary effusion lymphoma,
HCV- and HBV-associated liver cancers and others, all which are unusually highly prevalent in our area.
Increases in these diseases may be explained, in part, by the large number of HIV-infected patients in the
region. In addition, our data also indicate that co-infection of cells with more than one virus promotes or
associates with malignant transformation. Therefore, understanding how particular viruses and viral co-
infections promote the development of malignancies is essential to identifying and implementing new
preventative, diagnostic and treatment strategies. It follows that training a new cadre of investigators capable
of conducting novel research in the field of viral oncology is essential for our state. This will be accomplished
by developing a Center for Translational Viral Oncology (CTVO) that leverages existing resources in order to
train new investigators, develops novel laboratory infrastructure, and supports research projects designed to
study these diseases in our unique populations. The CTVO will support the scientific, mentoring and
administrative needs of the PJIs by providing (i) experienced mentoring teams composed of NIH-funded and
internationally recognized investigators who are committed to guiding PJIs in developing cutting edge
research, ensuring their successful training, and supporting their development as independent researchers;
(ii) unique clinical material from high risk patient populations – PJIs will have preferential access to a unique
(and increasing) set of clinically annotated biospecimens from HIV+ and HIV- patients with virus-associated
cancers collected at the University Medical Center – New Orleans (iii) well-established administrative and
cutting edge scientific infrastructure including integrated cancer and HIV clinical trials programs to translate
the findings of these projects, advanced core research laboratories, and a new expanded and unique
biorepository, the HIV/Clinical Tumor Biorepository (HCTB) Core. Initially, this COBRE brings four projects led
by PJIs to study the role of oncogenic viruses such as HPV, KSHV and EBV, as well as, viruses of increasing
interest in human carcinogenesis such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human endogenous retrovirus
sequences (HERVs), and human neurotropic Polyomavirus JC (JCV). These cancers arise more commonly in
the setting of immune deficiencies (including HIV infection), and disproportionately affect African American
patients i...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10223341
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121288-05
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Krzysztof Reiss
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,977,766
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-15 → 2022-07-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10223341

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10223341, Center for Translational Viral Oncology (CTVO) (5P20GM121288-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10223341. Licensed CC0.

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