Christophe P. Nicot, Ph.D.

Professional Background

2009- Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center
2008- 2018 Director, Center for Viral Oncology/Pathogenesis, University of Kansas Medical Center
2010- 2016 Vice-Chair, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center
2006- 2009 Associate Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
2003- 2006 Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center
2000- 2002 Staff Scientist, NIH, NCI, CCR, Bethesda, MD
1998- 2000 Visiting Fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
1996- 1998 Post-Doc, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
1995- 1996 Post-Doc, Case Western Reserve University, Infectious Diseases Dept, Cleveland, OH

Research

Overview

Public health significance: Infection by the oncoretrovirus human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-I) is associated with a lifetime cumulative risk of 5-20% to develop adult T cell leukemia (ATL) depending on proviral loads. Epidemiological studies show that more than 30 million individuals are infected with HTLV-I worldwide. Unlike most tropical diseases, which depend on specific local environmental factors, sexually transmitted diseases can spread beyond isolated populations in a globalized world with large migrations. HTLV-I-associated diseases develop more than 20 years after initial infection. Since the initial infection is not associated with symptoms, most individuals do not know they have become infected, unknowingly spreading the virus for years until they become ill. The clinical significance of HTLV-I-induced ATL is underlined by the fact that HTLV-I-associated diseases have no cure, limited therapeutic options, and a life expectancy of 6 months for acute ATL and 10 months for the lymphoma type. Projected ATL 4-year survival rates are 11% (acute), 16% (lymphoma), and 26% (chronic). Therefore, new therapeutics are greatly needed.