Giovanni Nigita, PhD

Research Project:
HERV Loci as Biomarkers/Targets in Osimertinib-resistant EGFR-mutant NSCLC

Grant Awarded:

Lung Cancer Discovery Award

Research Topics:

basic biologic mechanisms
biomarkers
combination therapies experimental therapeutics
computational biology

Research Disease:

lung cancer

Osimertinib is a highly effective targeted therapy for lung cancers with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, but almost all tumors eventually become resistant. We do not understand why this resistance occurs in many patients. This project focuses on human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are ancient viral DNA fragments that now sit in our genome and can act as switches to turn nearby genes on or off. We hypothesize that, under drug treatment, specific HERV sites are reactivated and, in turn, activating cell survival and escape programs without requiring new mutations. Using advanced genomic and laboratory methods in well-controlled lung cancer models, we will map which HERV sites change with resistance and test whether turning these sites off can restore sensitivity to osimertinib. This work could lead to new blood- or tissue-based tests to predict resistance early and identify HERV-linked targets for combination therapies that help patients live longer.

Courtney Cox Cole Lung Cancer Research Award

Page last updated: September 28, 2026

Giovanni Nigita, PhD

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