學術演講: 周芷院士: Achilles heel – Strategy to Stop Human Papillomaviruses in Their Tracks

時間: 2013/ 10/ 01 (週二）下午 13:20-15:20
地點: 臺灣大學 共通教學館 201 教室
演講人: 周 芷 院士 (美國國家科學院院士。阿拉巴馬大學分子遺傳學教授。生化科技學系系友）
wiki介紹: http://tinyurl.com/LC20131001
活動網址: http://tinyurl.com/LC-BSTtalk20131001
演講資訊網址:
演講主題: Achilles heel – Strategy to Stop Human Papillomaviruses in Their Tracks
摘要:
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a large family of prevalent pathogens, causing hyperproliferation of cutaneous and mucosal epithelia, commonly known as warts. Persistent Infections by the high-risk HPV-16, HPV-18 and closely related types can progress to high grade lesions and cancers, such as cervical, penile, anal, and laryngeal cancers, as well as a fraction of other head and neck cancers. Prophylactic vaccines effectively prevent infections by 4 virus types but do not cure pre-existing infections. Therapeutic agents are urgently needed. Genetic studies of these viruses are hampered because these viruses cannot be propagated in conventional cell cultures. Rather, the productive phase depends on proper squamous differentiation. We have developed an organotypic skin culture system of primary human keratinocytes to recapitulate a robust viral life cycle, permitting genetic analyses of viral genes. Combined with our investigation of the mechanisms that regulate viral DNA replication and amplification, we have identified Achilles heel to control virus infection.