Postdoctoral Fellow

Alice Debernardi

Profile

 

Between 2013 and 2018, I obtained in Besançon (France) a Bsc and a Msc oriented on Molecular Biology, Cellular Signalization and moreover Oncology, and I worked during my internship on the oncogenic virus HPV. I continued on this subject with a PhD that I defended in 2022, and that led to my current postdoctoral position at the Josep Carreras Institute (Badalona, Spain), where I work in Belver Lab to decipher the link between HPV infection and B-cell lymphoma development.

Project description

Deciphering the Undefined Activity of HPV in LYmphoma PAthogenesis

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the most common sexually transmitted diseases, affecting approximately 80% of all men and women during their lifetime. HPV mainly infects cutaneous and mucosal epithelia. Although in most of the cases HPV infections are asymptomatic and cleared by the immune system within 1-2 years, persistent infections can lead to the development of HPV-associated cancers, usually affecting the cervix, anal canal, penis, vulva, vagina and the upper aerodigestive tract. Interestingly, HPV has also been linked to an increased Bcell lymphoma incidence. Moreover, some studies have shown evidence of HPV infection in B-cell lymphoma cells, suggesting that HPV-driven oncogenic effects might directly contribute to B-cell transformation. However, the specific role of HPV in B-cell lymphomagenesis remains unknown. This proposal aims to shed light on the mechanisms underlying the association between HPV and B-cell lymphoma. Towards this aim, we will first determine the prevalence and effects of direct HPV infection in lymphoma cells. Primary patient samples will be screened for the presence of HPV in two independent patient cohorts, and HPV+ and HPV- tumours will be compared at histological, transcriptional, and genomic level. The results from these analyses will be integrated using precision medicine algorithms to identify pharmacologically actionable proteins that are aberrantly active specifically in HPV+ lymphomas, as potential therapeutic targets for HPV+ tumours. In addition, to further study the direct and indirect effects of HPV in B-cell lymphoma generation and progression, we will use different in vitro and in vivo B-cell lymphoma models, which will allow us to dissect the specific oncogenic mechanisms driven by HPV in this pathology. Together, our results will not only provide new insights on the role of HPV in B-cell lymphoma, but also identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets that contribute to the prevention and/or treatment of these tumours.

Free keywords: HPV, B-cell lymphoma, lymphomagenesis, viral oncogenes