Small molecule degradation of the HPV E7 oncoprotein

This project aims to reduce the burden of HPV-associated cancers in Wales, including cervical and throat cancers, by developing a new treatment that helps the immune system recognise and eliminate HPV-infected cells. Although vaccination will prevent many future cases, a large number of people in Wales remain at increased risk because they were not vaccinated and carry long-term HPV infections that can lead to cancer.

HPV can hide inside cells without alerting the immune system, allowing infections to persist and sometimes cause cancer. The research team has developed a new way to expose these hidden infections. By attaching a small chemical tag to HPV proteins, infected cells are forced to display clear warning signals on their surface. This helps the immune system recognise and attack infected or cancerous cells. They now aim to adapt this approach specifically for HPV-associated cancers.

For people in Wales, this research has the potential to prevent HPV infections from progressing to cancer, improve treatment of existing HPV-related cancers, and reduce cancer incidence and mortality. In the longer term, it supports Wales-led innovation in cancer immunotherapy and early access to new treatments. This will serve to will improve patient outcomes locally as the more research intensive your local hospitals and associated universities are, the increased benefits for patients living in the area.