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Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. Current oral therapies for HCV will abrogate the viral infection and cure patients of HCV. However, the impact of HCV treatment on the risk of developing liver cancer remains unknown, largely due to a lack of understanding of the mechanisms of HCV-related carcinogenesis. These researchers hypothesize that the HCV protein NS5A stabilizes cancer-related transcripts during HCV infection and that treatment of HCV will modulate those transcripts decreasing the risk of cancer. 

This project evaluates gene expression in single hepatocytes before and after treatment for HCV. Additionally, it investigates if transcriptional changes found in cell culture experiments correlate with those in patients. These efforts will provide novel and unique input in the field of viral carcinogenesis.

Research by this group was featured on the MSI website in April 2023: Using Artificial Intelligence to Detect Liver Cancer.