Developing Novel Humanized Mouse Models for Hepatitis Virus and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Research (2012)

Undergraduates: Chloe Greguska, Moses Bility

Faculty Advisor: Lishan Su
Department: Biology

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Few animal models exist in studying HBV, HCV, and liver cancer that closely mimic in vivo human disease pathogenesis and immune cell function. This had led to a lack of progress in research and discovery of therapeutic drugs. Our group has developed the first humanized mouse model with both human immune system and human liver, although human hepatocyte engraftment is relatively low. We seek to improve the humanized mouse model by increasing the level of reconstitution of human hepatocyte progenitor cells by using lentiviral vectors to introduce pro-survival genes such as p53DD, myc, and bcl-2. We also seek to create novel strategies for the study of hepatocellular carcinoma with the combined infection of hepatitis virus with aflatoxin B1 exposure.