Jennifer E. Cameron, Ph.D., M.S.C.R.

FACULTY

Jennifer E. Cameron, Ph.D., M.S.C.R.

Associate Professor

Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology

Office:

Clinical Sciences Research Building
533 Bolivar St., 
Office 539 
New Orleans, LA  70112

 

Bio

Dr. Cameron's journey in biomedical research began right here at LSUHSC. For her Ph.D. project, she characterized an emerging epidemic of oral papillomas in HIV-infected adults on combination antiretroviral therapy and identified human papillomavirus (HPV)-32 as the primary etiologic agent. During her graduate training, Dr. Cameron was responsible for the seminal observation that HIV-infected women with cervical co-shedding of HPV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are at increased risk of cervical abnormalities. This project sparked her interest in gamma-herpesviruses, which, like HPV, have the propensity to cause cancer.

For the next stage of her career, Dr. Cameron pursued research to understand the pathobiology of EBV. She accepted a postdoctoral fellowship position with Dr. Fred Wang at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she developed molecular tools to query the biology of the closely related rhesus macaque lymphocryptovirus (RhLCV) in a primate primary infection model. While she was living in Boston, New Orleans was inundated with water as a result of the catastrophic levee failures following Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Cameron's fondness for New Orleans and its inimitable culture spurred her to relocate back to Louisiana to participate in the recovery of the city.

With the New Orleans region still reeling from the aftermath of Katrina, Dr. Cameron accepted a postdoctoral fellowship appointment at Tulane University in the laboratory of Dr. Erik Flemington. The Flemington lab investigated the interactions between EBV and the host cell microRNA (miRNA) network, and how these interactions might contribute to EBV-mediated lymphomas. Dr. Cameron first-authored one of the first reports demonstrating that a DNA tumor virus and its major oncoprotein alter expression of cellular miRNAs. Subsequently, Dr. Cameron’s studies focused on uncovering the role of miR-146a, a cellular miRNA highly induced by EBV via LMP1-mediated NF-kB activation, in tumor phenotypes and immunological signaling pathways. As a Fellow, Dr. Cameron was successful in obtaining extramural support in the form of a National Cancer Institute-sponsored Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Independent Postdoctoral Fellowship.

In 2012, Dr. Cameron returned to her alma mater as a faculty member in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology.  She was named LSUHSC's first recipient of the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center (LACaTS) Roadmap Scholar Award (2012-2014). As part of the Roadmap Scholar training program, Dr. Cameron earned a post-doctorate Master of Science in Clinical Research at Tulane University. Since becoming a faculty member she has taught in four different programs at LSUHSC (Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health and Graduate Studies). She continues to focus on tumor virus research and has attracted extramural research support from all three sectors of the research sponsor triad (government, philanthropy and industry). She actively participates in faculty governance and enjoys engaging with community members to improve health literacy and promote awareness of scholarly activities at LSUHSC.

Education

BA in Biology, 1998
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL

MS in Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, 2001
LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA

PhD in Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, 2004
LSU Health Sciences Center, New Olreans, LA

MS in Clinical Research, 2014
Tulane University, New Olreans, LA

Research

Dr. Cameron’s lab focuses on human papillomaviruses (HPV), DNA tumor viruses that cause cancers of the uterine cervix, anus and oropharynx, among others. The ultimate goal of the research is to prevent cancer development. To this end, the Cameron lab is working to optimize utilization of prevention strategies such as HPV vaccination, as well as investigating methods to improve screening programs to promote earlier intervention. A major focus of the lab is to identify factors that promote HPV-associated cervical dysplasia progression (e.g., nutritional deficits, co-infection with other tumor viruses such as EBV). Current work is leveraging molecular signatures of dysplasia progression to identify cancer-promoting pathways that can be targeted by pharmacological intervention to restore cervical health. Projects are sponsored by Merck, Sharp and Dohme and the American Cancer Society.

Infographic illustrating the progression of cervical HPV infection to dysplasia and cancer, highlighting prevention through vaccination, screening with HPV testing and pathology, and intervention with precision medicine and novel therapies.

Publications

  1. Winters AW, Berry AK, Dewenter TA, Chowdhury NU, Wright KL, and Cameron JE. MicroRNA expression associated with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia outcomes. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-023-05023-3. PMID 37421453
  2. Lin HY, Fu Q, Kao YH, Tseng TS, Reiss K, Cameron JE, Ronis MJ, Su J, Nair N, Chang HM, Hagensee ME. Antioxidants associated with oncogenic human papillomavirus infection in women. Journal of Infectious Diseases. Nov 16; 224(9):1520-1528. 2021. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab148. PMCID: PMC8599710.
  3. Naresh A, Hagensee ME, Myers L, Cameron JE. Association of diet quality and dietary components with clinical resolution of HPV. Nutrition and Cancer . 2020. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2020.1841251. PMCID: PMC8759349.
  4. Dean TC, Gilliland AE, Cameron JE. Parents’ receptiveness to oral health clinic-based vaccination. Vaccine 38 (27): 4226-4229. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.03.062; PMID: 32402756.
  5. Cameron JE, Dennis DC, Herrel NR, Chapple AG, Hagensee ME. Risk of abnormal cervical cytology in HIV-infected women testing positive for both human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus in genital tract specimens. Cancer Causes and Control 31: 365–375. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01287-z. PMCID:
  6. Cameron JE, Rositch AF, Vielot NA, Mugo NR, Kwatampora J, Waweru W, Gilliland AE, Hagensee ME, and Smith JSS. Epstein-Barr virus, high-risk human papillomavirus and abnormal cervical cytology in a prospective cohort of African female sex workers. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 45 (10):666-672. 2018. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000857 PMCID: 6482813

For a complete bibliography, click here.

Teaching

Course Director and Lecturer, Microbiology and Immunology for D1 students in Dentistry

Faculty Facilitator, Clinical Skills Integration for L1 and L2 students in Medicine, Tchoupitoulas House 10

Lecturer, General and Molecular Virology for students in Graduate Studies

Committees & Administrative Responsibilities

President-Elect, Faculty Senate (2024-25)

Delegate, School of Medicine Faculty Assembly (2023-26)

Member, Graduate Advisory Council (2021-) 

Graduate Student Coordinator, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (2021-)

Treasurer, Association for Women in Science, South Louisiana Chapter (2020-)