Harriet C. Isom, Ph.D., Program Leader

One major theme of the Viral Oncogenesis and Host Defense (VOHD) Program is relationships between viruses and human cancers.  Viruses are among the strongest carcinogens known.  Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and some human papillomaviruses have been classified as human carcinogens by the Department of Health and Human Services.  It is anticipated that other human viruses will soon be added to the list.  In addition, viruses that play no etiological role in human cancer can be used to treat cancer either by direct killing of tumor cells or serving as vectors to target death to tumor cells.  Members of the VOHD Program study numerous viruses associated with human cancers with the long-range goals of (1) designing novel therapeutic agents that target critical steps in the viral life cycles, thereby blocking viral replication and viral oncogenesis, or (2) using viruses to kill cancer cells.

A second theme of the VOHD Program is immunology and cancer.  Novel immunotherapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of a range of human cancers are growing in importance.  Members of the VOHD Program are carrying out research in the field of immunology related cancer at the basic and translational levels.

The scientific aims of the VOHD Program are:

A.  To reduce the incidence of human cancers associated with viruses by using knowledge of viral life cycles to design therapeutic agents that impede viral replication and oncogenesis. 

1. To reduce the incidence of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) caused by Hepatitis B and C viruses by reducing the number of individuals chronically infected with HBV and/or HCV.
2. To reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV associated human cancers by elimination of HPV infection and oncogenesis through prevention and treatment.
3. To reduce the incidence of cancers associated with DNA and RNA tumor viruses.

B.  To interface with the host to prevent or treat cancers, virus associated and non-virus associated, through the use of immunology or viruses. 

1. To further understand the cellular immune response in the control of cancer and rationally design anti-tumor vaccines by understanding epitope selection, tolerance and how peptides derived from viral or tumor-derived are presented in a natural situation.
2. To use adoptive cellular immunotherapy for EBV-related malignancies and post transplant infectious complications.
3. To utilize viruses and viral proteins to selectively kill tumor cells.

The VOHD programmatic themes of viral oncogenesis, immunology of cancer, and viral mediated tumor killing share the common goal of discovering new strategies for cancer prevention and treatment.  The faculty includes basic scientists as well as physician scientists from the College of Medicine in Hershey and from the University Park campus.  A unique aspect of the VOHD program is the combined strength of research in the fields of virology and immunology as they relate to human cancer and hence the enormous translational potential that can be realized in the synergy of the research areas.

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