![Dirk Dittmer, PhD, is a professor in the UNC School of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and co-director of the UNC Lineberger virology and global oncology programs.](https://news.unchealthcare.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1159/2020/06/virus-linked-to-cancer-takes-over-2018cellular-mail2019-to-alter-tumor-environment-image2-600x400.jpeg)
February 19, 2019
Virus linked to cancer takes over ‘cellular mail’ to alter tumor environment
A UNC Lineberger study, led by Dirk Dittmer, PhD, reports the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus can commandeer a system involved in how host cells can affect changes in neighboring cells.