[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Fullwidth Header – Background Title Description – no slider – Section 1″ module_class=”header-title-desciption-no-slider-section1″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(0,174,239,0.09)” background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2022\/07\/ai-002-1.jpg” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”||||false|false” bottom_divider_style=”ramp2″ bottom_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” bottom_divider_height=”11vw” bottom_divider_arrangement=”above_content” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” hover_enabled=”0″ border_color_all=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” collapsed=”off” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10%||8vw||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0vw||0vw||true|false” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Title” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”b3e3ff14-5f5c-4608-8ecf-1885ce3da7aa” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”48px” header_line_height=”60px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”40px” header_font_size_phone=”24px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” locked=”off”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Description” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”da86b6f0-f83c-4c7c-bdd8-3019777ddffe” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”32px” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”15px” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Our interests include the hepatitis C virus, development of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), and the immunobiology of the human liver. We have a wonderful group of people delving into the clinical and basic science aspects of modern-day liver disease.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section 27 – Two Column – Title Over Text Over Button Next to Image” module_class=”section27_two_column_title_over_txt_over_btn_next_to_img” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2022\/12\/9-alt.png” parallax=”on” parallax_method=”off” locked=”off” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||150px|||” global_module=”3003″ collapsed=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_color_gradient_direction=”35deg” custom_padding=”|60px||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#2b2b2b” header_font_size=”36px” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_text_align=”left” header_2_text_color=”#2b2b2b” header_2_font_size=”36px” header_2_line_height=”1.5em” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||10px|”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#141414″ text_line_height=”1.9em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”||||||||” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||30px|”]<\/p>\n
Clinical studies have shown that patients with the R70Q and L91M mutations in their genotype 1b\u00a0core<\/em>\u00a0gene are 5-fold more likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than those infected with the wild-type\u00a01b\u00a0core<\/em>. Surprisingly, there has been an absence of supporting laboratory data. \u00a0We developed a cell culture system for testing the impact of high-risk HCV on expression of cancer-related molecular pathways by utilizing Huh7 cells cultured long-term in media containing human serum. In this system, we found that the matched viruses with and without the high-risk mutations were indistinguishable in their virological properties; however, cells replicating the high-risk variant had an enhancement of gene pathways associated with oncogenesis compared to cells replicating the control HCV (El Shamy et al., J Hepatol, in press).\u00a0Read more in our paper: El Shamy et al., J Hepatol, in press!<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_text=”Read More” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#00AEEF” button_border_radius=”0px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ locked=”off”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”imageallignment” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#00aeef” background_color_gradient_end=”#221f72″ background_color_gradient_direction=”115deg” custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” custom_css_main_element_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element_tablet=”margin-top:60px!important”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2025\/03\/HCV_1-resized.png” title_text=”HCV_1-resized” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ background_color=”#221F72″ custom_margin=”-40px|40px|40px|-40px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-40px|40px|40px|-40px|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”right” animation_intensity_zoom=”6%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%” always_center_on_mobile=”off”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|auto|150px|auto||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ background_color=”#00AEEF” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#00aeef” background_color_gradient_end=”#d80b8c” background_color_gradient_direction=”33deg” background_enable_image=”off” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”|5%||5%” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2025\/03\/HCV_21-resized.png” title_text=”HCV_21-resized” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ custom_margin=”-20px||-20px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”left” animation_intensity_zoom=”10%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”40px|40px|40px|40px” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ header_font=”|700|||||||” header_font_size=”36px” header_3_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#2b2b2b” header_3_font_size=”28px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”||10px|”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#141414″ text_line_height=”1.9em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”||||||||” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||30px|”]<\/p>\n In experimental systems, we previously discovered a new family of HCV core protein isoforms called minicores (Eng et al., JVI, 2009) that lack the N-terminus of p21 core. We have recently found that HCV minicores are released into patients\u2019 blood. Additionally, cells cultured in human serum secrete large quantities of minicores through a process that is not dependent on infectious virion production. The low density of secreted minicores indicates that they may be part of lipoviroparticles. Experiments are underway to investigate the biological effects of secreted minicores.\u00a0Read more in our paper:\u00a0Eng et al., JVI, 2009!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_text=”Read More” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#00AEEF” button_border_radius=”0px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ locked=”off”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||200px|” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” collapsed=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_color_gradient_direction=”35deg” custom_padding=”40px|40px|40px|40px” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#2b2b2b” header_3_font_size=”28px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”||10px|”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#141414″ text_line_height=”1.9em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”||||||||” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||30px|”]<\/p>\n HCV establishes persistent infection despite triggering a robust interferon-induced anti-viral response. Interferon-based regimens as well as direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs are used to treat HCV. Regardless of the regimen, HCV RNA can be undetectable in blood for months only to reappear after treatment ends, causing relapse. Using a novel approach, we found that HCV dsRNA is the predominant form of viral RNA in the liver of HCV-infected patients. HCV can respond to IFN by producing a genome-length viral dsRNA. This dsRNA is a key target of ribavirin. The development of DAAs that target viral dsRNA might improve treatment for HCV and other viruses.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_text=”Read More” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#00AEEF” button_border_radius=”0px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ locked=”off”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ background_color=”#00AEEF” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#221f72″ background_color_gradient_end=”#d80b8c” background_color_gradient_direction=”33deg” background_enable_image=”off” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”|5%||5%” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2025\/03\/HCV_21-resized.png” title_text=”HCV_21-resized” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ custom_margin=”-20px||-20px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”right” animation_intensity_zoom=”10%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|auto|150px|auto||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ background_color=”#00AEEF” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#00aeef” background_color_gradient_end=”#d80b8c” background_color_gradient_direction=”33deg” background_enable_image=”off” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”|5%||5%” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/558\/2025\/03\/HCV_21-resized.png” title_text=”HCV_21-resized” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ custom_margin=”-20px||-20px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”left” animation_intensity_zoom=”10%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”40px|40px|40px|40px” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ header_font=”|700|||||||” header_font_size=”36px” header_3_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#2b2b2b” header_3_font_size=”28px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ResearchOur interests include the hepatitis C virus, development of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), and the immunobiology of the human liver. We have a wonderful group of people delving into the clinical and basic science aspects of modern-day liver disease.A novel cell culture system to study the oncogenic potential of HCVs.Clinical studies have shown that patients […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":545,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3010","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/545"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3010"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4682,"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3010\/revisions\/4682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.icahn.mssm.edu\/andrea-branch-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Minicores: a new family of HCV core protein isoforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n
HCV creates a genome-length, double-stranded RNA<\/strong><\/h2>\n