The Rice lab is pursuing two projects stemming from their long-standing interest in combating chronic viral hepatitis and liver disease. In one study, a new animal model is being exploited to understand the association of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the development of liver cancer. A second effort employs complementary approaches to develop an immunocompetent mouse model of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. If successful, this would aid the development curative therapies for chronic HBV, which are likely to involve both antivirals and immunomodulation. There are an estimated 300 million people chronically infected with HBV and cured HCV patients are still at risk of developing liver cancer.
Millions of people are infected with hepatitis C or hepatitis B viruses, which cause liver cancer and liver failure. Meanwhile, other RNA viruses such as Zika, yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus cause significant morbidity and mortality. Rice’s lab works to understand virus replication and innate immune responses that limit infection. His group is also developing new in vitro culture and animal models to facilitate this work.
