Summary of Research
Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer with a rising incident rate in the US. Recent work from my lab has shown that the Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCV) genome is monoclonally integrated in ~80% of MCCs, which suggests a causative role of this virus in a subset of these cancers. The Large Tumor Antigen (LT) encoded by the viral genome is the putative viral oncogene. It is important to further investigate the oncogenic potential of MCV since MCC has a high mortality rate, and the number of MCC patients rises each year. In vitro studies have not been conclusive about the oncogenic effect of LT. Therefore, the evaluation of the carcinogenic potential of MCV LT in an in vivo animal model is a novel study and an essential step in relating laboratory studies to human disease. My research is an important progression from in vitro study systems and will elucidate the role of LT in MCV induced carcinogenesis. Identifying and characterizing the molecular players responsible for tumor formation in vivo will hopefully one day allow for the development of effective MCC therapy treatments.
