# Project 4 - Defining the Role of EBV in DLBCL Pathogenesis and Identification of Therapeutic Targets

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2024 · $430,044

## Abstract

PROJECT 4 – PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Project 4. Defining the Role of EBV in DLBCL Pathogenesis and Identification of Therapeutic Targets
Eric Johannsen, Project Leader; Shannon Kenney and Bill Sugden, Co-Leaders
People living with HIV are at substantially increased risk of developing diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL),
the most prevalent aggressive B cell lymphoma. DLBCL is not a single disease, but a group of histologically
similar, but genetically distinct cancers. Defining DLBCL subtypes has shown distinct molecular pathways drive
each subtype and has led to improvements in therapy. Although 5-10% of DLBCLs are EBV+, we lack an
understanding of whether EBV associates with any of these genetic subtypes or is a distinct entity. We have
discovered that about one-third of EBV+ DLBCLs correspond to the BCL6+Notch2 (BN2) DLBCL subtype and
the remaining two-thirds fall outside of current DLBCL genetic classification. This project will: (1) fully define the
genetic subtype(s) of DLBCL, including BN2, that are EBV associated; (2) determine the molecular mechanisms
by which EBV latent genes interact with BN2 associated driver mutations to cause DLBCL; and (3) define the
role of EBV in DLBCL and identify dependency factors in EBV+ DLBCL that can be targeted therapeutically.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10837990
- **Project number:** 2P01CA022443-46A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** ERIC C. JOHANNSEN
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $430,044
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-02-01 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10837990

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10837990, Project 4 - Defining the Role of EBV in DLBCL Pathogenesis and Identification of Therapeutic Targets (2P01CA022443-46A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10837990. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*