The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is proud to announce that Jessica Tucker, PhD, has received a new grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research to investigate how tRNA cleavage by Angiogenin influences Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Approximately 15% of human cancers are caused by viral infections. By curbing the spread of oncogenic viruses, we can significantly reduce the global cancer burden. Kaposi sarcoma and pleural effusion lymphoma (PEL), caused by Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), are life-threatening malignancies. However, we lack sufficient antiviral strategies to limit KSHV replication and spread. KSHV, like all herpesviruses, infect and persist in their hosts by toggling from a replicative lytic state to a quiescent latent infection.

This three-year, $600,000 award will support Dr. Tucker’s efforts to determine how a host transfer RNA (tRNA) endonuclease called Angiogenin (ANG) restricts KSHV lytic replication, with the goal of revealing new therapeutic strategies to limit KSHV spread and oncogenesis.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research (TVF) supports research grants for all types of cancers affecting adults or children. The Foundation supports projects that improve the lives of people with cancer, research that provides critical data that enhances understanding of the causes, treatment, and cure of cancers, and training for promising individuals dedicated to cancer prevention, research, and/or patient care.

The department congratulates Dr. Tucker on this outstanding accomplishment and anticipates the contributions her research will make.