# Defining Drivers of HPV-associated Carcinogenesis

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2020 · $917,250

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers represent 5% of all human cancers and are among the most
common malignancies arising in the HIV-infected population. While highly effective prophylactic vaccines are
available, their utilization in the United States remains low. Meanwhile HPV-associated cancers, particularly
anal cancer, are increasing in their prevalence here in the US especially among the HIV-infected population.
Treatment of these cancers relies upon decades old approaches using radiation and traditional
chemotherapeutic agents. In many cases, these treatments are not curative, with limited options for effective
second or third line treatments. The goal of our research is to define the factors that drive HPV-associated
carcinogenesis with the ultimate goal to define ways to better treat patients with these cancers. This is
particularly of concern to the HIV-infected population who are at increasing risk of developing these cancers.
We have assembled a tool chest of unique model reagents with which to address this goal including genetically
engineered mouse (GEM) models, as well as patient derived xenografts (PDXs) and associated cell strains
from patients with anal, cervical and head/neck cancers. We have expanded our experimental tool chest to
include MmuPV1, a mouse papillomavirus that models high-risk cutaneous HPVs in both its pathogenesis and
molecular activities. Using these models we will explore new therapeutic targets for the prevention and/or
treatment of HPV-associated disease/cancers. Of particular relevance to HIV-associated neoplasia, we will
use PDX models for anal cancer to compare responses to targeted therapies between cancers arising in HIV-
infected versus uninfected patients to learn if there are differences of potential clinical importance. The
proposed studies build upon insights we have gained over the past 2+ decades studying our GEM and PDX
models for HPV-associated cancers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9983480
- **Project number:** 5R35CA210807-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Paul F. Lambert
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $917,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9983480

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9983480, Defining Drivers of HPV-associated Carcinogenesis (5R35CA210807-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9983480. Licensed CC0.

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