23rd International Workshop on Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV) and Related Agents

Lsu Health Sciences Center, New Orleans LA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT The annual International Conference on Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpesvirus and Related Agents will bring together researchers and clinicians working on the oncogenic human herpesvirus, Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), and other closely related pathogens. KSHV is the etiology agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), which is still one of the most prevalent cancers in Africa, especially in HIV-1 infected individuals. The goals of these meetings are consistent with the mission statements of the NIH, NCI, NIAID, and NIDCR, namely, to advance and promote the pace of research on infections associated with human cancer and other diseases, including in the setting of HIV-AIDS. The main KSHV conference will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from the afternoon of June 19 through June 22, 2023. With an additional day, June 23, for a training workshop to engage both established researchers and trainees, clinicians and basic researchers, to interact and develop collaborations on translational research projects. The majority of the costs for the conference will be raised from registration fees paid by the conference attendees and contributions from host institutions, foundations, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The major focus of the KSHV meeting is the biology of oncogenic herpesviruses and associated human diseases, with specific emphasis on viral pathogenesis, viral latency and reactivation, viral gene expression and replication, host responses to infection, epidemiology, vaccine development, therapeutic intervention, clinical and translational research. In addition to KSHV, studies related to herpesvirus saimiri (HVS), murine herpesvirus-68 (MHV-68), and rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV) will be presented. This administrative supplement grant application requests funds to supplement the R13 award (7R13CA250288) received for the conference which was supposed to be held in 2020. The reason for the delay to 2023 was due to COVID-19. The supplement is needed because of the awarded amount ($5,000) will be needed to cover the rising inflation cost of the planned conference site which cannot be covered by the registration fees. The requested supplement funds will be used to reduce the conference registration and partial travel costs for outstanding pre- and post-doctoral trainees, historically under-represented minorities, and scientists from lower- and middle-income countries, especially those from Africa who study oncogenic DNA viruses and the cancers associating with these viruses.