Prof Alan Storey

Alan Storey

HPV Apoptosis and Cancer Group
Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Oxford

HPV infection and non-melanoma skin cancer

Professor Alan Storey leads the HPV Apoptosis and Cancer Group at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine. His research focuses on non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. Although NMSC is rarely life-threatening, it is estimated that there are at least 100,000 cases in the UK each year making it a significant public health problem. Professor Storey's team is investigating how human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the skin can contribute to the development of this disease.

Most skin cancers are caused by UV radiation, which damages the DNA within skin cells. Professor Storey and his team have shown that HPV infection of the skin can also promote NMSC by protecting UV-damaged cells from cell death or 'apoptosis'. Cells with damaged DNA normally die to ensure that they are eliminated from the body, but if they somehow survive and continue to grow this can lead to cancer.

Professor Storey is currently investigating how different strains of HPV disrupt the normal workings of the cell in order to drive cancer progression. In particular, he has found that a virus protein, E6, can block apoptosis by interfering with a cell protein called Bak that normally regulates cell death.

The team are now looking for other proteins used by the viruses to drive cancer growth. This work will hopefully reveal several new opportunities for improved management and treatment of NMSC in the future.

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