# Virology Research Program (Program 4)

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $46,591

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: 
Approximately 20-25% of all cancers result from infectious agents, with the majority of these malignancies 
being virus-associated cancers. The Virology Program focuses on deciphering the basic mechanisms related 
to how human tumor viruses are linked to the development of malignancies with the goal of generating new 
specific therapies for cancer and for vaccines against these viruses. There are five programmatic themes in 
the Virology Program. These include (i) Viruses and Immunity (ii) Virus-Cell Interactions (iii) Viral Pathogenesis 
and Tumorigenesis (iv) AIDS-associated cancers and (v) Clinical & Translational Virology. These themes 
address the effects of viral infection on innate immunity and inflammation and the mechanisms by which 
viruses promote tumorigenesis with the ultimate goal being to develop new therapies for treating viral cancers 
and vaccines against oncogenic viruses. Some discoveries include the finding that virus-infected cells secrete 
exosomes which modulate the tumor environment, that viral-encoded microRNAs contribute to the 
development of neoplasms, that oncogenic viruses can blunt innate immune recognition by the host cell, and 
that new therapies for AIDS-associated cancers targeting cell signaling pathways are efficacious. 
The program is jointly led by Nancy Raab-Traub, PhD, Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Microbiology & 
Immunology who is world renowned for her work on Epstein-Barr virus and associated cancers, and Blossom 
Damania, PhD, Assistant Dean of Research and Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, whose expertise on 
innate immunity and oncogenic viruses is well recognized. 
There are 19 program members from 6 different departments across campus. The Virology Program has 
recruited three new faculty since 2010: Cary Moody, Nat Moorman and Stan Lemon. During the last funding 
period, program members have published 343 cancer-related articles (24% collaborative). In 2014, our 
program members held 58 grants and $18.9M (total cost) in annual extramural funding, including 21 grants and 
$6M (total costs) from the NCI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9834874
- **Project number:** 5P30CA016086-44
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** NANCY JOAN RAAB-TRAUB
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $46,591
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9834874

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9834874, Virology Research Program (Program 4) (5P30CA016086-44). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9834874. Licensed CC0.

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