Human Cancer Virology

UWCCC Human Cancer Virology (VR) Program Co-Leaders: Shannon Kenney and Rob Kalejta PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Viruses cause at least 15% of human cancers. In the VR program, we study how viruses infect, replicate, persist, and cause tumors, as well as how we can prevent, diagnose, and treat virally-induced cancers. Our 17 highly collaborative members study all 7 human tumor viruses, play significant leadership roles in the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC) as well as the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, and derive great benefit from UWCCC colleagues, shared services, and pilot funding. We recruited 4 new members, our externally awarded funding has increased every year since 2017, and >90% of our faculty members have active extramural funding. The program project grant (P01CA022443) that supports many of our investigators was renewed for years 41-45 with a perfect priority score of 10. Our two-way community engagement and outreach has expanded, and we continue to be a driving force in training the current and next generation of cancer biologists and virologists, and in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity initiatives. Previously we received an Exceptional to Outstanding rating, attenuated from Exceptional only by a desire for more intra- programmatic publications and translational work, and because we had yet to participate in a clinical trial. Since that rating, we have increased our intra-programmatic publications by 63%, and reinvigorated our translational work into a thriving and expanding pipeline resulting in one current and one future clinical trial. Our significant achievements, and our clear plans to sustain and advance our important mission, are detailed in the Specific Aims and Research Strategy pages that follow.