# (PQ 6) New Models of KSHV Oncogenesis and KS Immune Environment

> **NIH NIH R01** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2022 · $238,995

## Abstract

Project Summary
Candidate and career development: Dr. Ayana Morales is an Infectious Diseases physician committed to
translational research in the field of HIV associated malignancies to uncover virus and host mechanisms of
disease, with a specific focus on host interactions with Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus in the context of HIV co-
infection. Her overarching goal is to become an independent physician scientist investigating the questions of
virus and host interaction to ultimately discover novel biomarkers and safer and improved treatments. In the
short term, her goals are: 1. To expand her technical skills in virology, immunology, and pathology; 2. To gain
experience in the use of bioinformatics; 3. Gain additional grant and manuscript writing skills; 4. To
successfully compete for a K08 award to support her transition to a career as an independent researcher.
Research: The research plan is proposed as a supplement to the R01 (PQ6) New Models of KSHV Oncogenesis
and KS Immune Environment, active through 2025 (PI Dr. Ethel Cesarman). It builds upon Dr. Morales' findings
that a proto-oncogene, Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) is highly expressed in Kaposi sarcoma, and is significantly higher
in KS lesions in people living with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Morales seeks to investigate the role of WT1 in KS and whether
HIV contributes to WT1-mediated effects. Specifically, she will characterize the spatial relationship of WT1 to
the KS immune tumor microenvironment (TME) and study the role of WT1 in 2D and 3D models and its
immunomodulatory impacts to test the hypothesis that WT1 promotes immune evasion in KS by impacting
immune cell trafficking and function, which are further compromised in the presence of HIV infection. This will
be achieved through the following specific aims: 1) Characterize the spatial relationship of WT1-expressing cells
to the KS immune TME, and 2) Investigate the role of WT1 in KSHV infected endothelial cells in vitro using 2D
and 3D culture models to determine cell-intrinsic effects that can have immunomodulatory consequences.
Significance: Our studies will dissect the spatial relationship of WT1 in the immune contexture of KS and the
role of WT1 within 2D and 3D models of KS, which may provide a clearer understanding of the tumor immune
microenvironment and hence lead to novel clinical strategies to recondition the TME against KS.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10532587
- **Project number:** 3R01CA250074-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Ethel Cesarman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $238,995
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-05-15 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10532587

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10532587, (PQ 6) New Models of KSHV Oncogenesis and KS Immune Environment (3R01CA250074-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10532587. Licensed CC0.

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