Infection with hepatitis B and C viruses affects more than 10
percent of the world population and is the most common etiology
of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, which is
the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in the world.
Current therapies for both viruses are less than optimal. While
an effective vaccine for HBV is available, the prospect for a
HCV vaccine remains elusive. Given the magnitude and severity of
both viral infections as a global public health problem, it is
imperative to develop and implement effective prophylactic
vaccines and better therapeutic regimens. To achieve this goal,
we must understand at the molecular, cellular and genetic levels
the viral life cycle, viral mechanisms for productive and
persistent infection, virus-host interactions, and host immune
responses. The thematic effort of my laboratory focuses on these
topics. While many gaps in our knowledge of HCV exist, great
strides have been made in characterizing the virus and functions
of viral genes as we