Human Papillomavirus Epidemiology, Immunology and Cervical Cancer Screening

Edited by:   Luisa Lina Villa, Laura Sichero
Imprint:   Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Country of Publication:   Switzerland
Dimensions:   Height: 235mm,  Width: 155mm, 
ISBN:   9783032177742
ISBN 10:   303217774X
Series:   Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology
Pages:   127
Publication Date:   16 February 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Further / Higher Education ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Luisa L. Villa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology and Oncology at the Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, and Head of Innovation in Cancer Research at the Center for Translational Research in Oncology of the Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), São Paulo, Brazil. For more than 40 years, Dr. Villa has focused on studies of HPV carcinogenesis and vaccine development to prevent HPV infections. Her laboratory pioneered the first high-throughput methods for HPV genotyping and implemented these techniques in the landmark Ludwig-McGill HPV Natural History Cohort, which she co-led for over 15 years. This large international prospective study of HPV infection among women produced numerous influential publications and served as the foundation for additional NIH-funded research, including the HIM study—one of the largest multicenter natural history studies of HPV infection in men. Both studies were conducted at the São Paulo Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research under her coordination. In addition to molecular epidemiological research, Dr. Villa has been a global leader in clinical trials of HPV prophylactic vaccines to prevent cervical cancer. More recently, she serves as multiple Principal Investigator of the ROCCHHA study within ULAC54 net, an international research partnership investigating HPV-related cancers in patients with HIV as part of the National Cancer Institute’s U.S.–Latin American–Caribbean Clinical Trials Network. Dr. Villa has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles, which have collectively received approximately 19,000 citations. She has mentored 13 Master’s students, 22 Ph.D. candidates, and 8 postdoctoral fellows. Laura Sichero is a Medical Research Coordinator at the Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, and a Collaborator Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Laura Sichero has a broad background in Molecular Virology, with specific training and expertise in molecular biology, molecular epidemiology and biochemistry. As PI or co-Investigator on several FAPESP and CNPq-funded grants, I laid the groundwork to the understanding of the impact of mucosal and cutaneous HPV genetic variability upon associated diseases development. I have further made significant contributions in understanding functionally the influence of HPV genetic variability in biological and biochemical properties of infected cells. More recently she is also involved in studies focusing on HPV transcription, and the potential of several cellular transcription factors as biomarkers and drug target in HPV-associated malignancies. Dr. Sichero has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, which have collectively received approximately 2,500 citations. She has mentored 7 Master’s students, 10 Ph.D. candidates, and 2 postdoctoral fellows.