School of Health Student Presents Foundational Cancer Research at International Conference
Keerthana Ramanathan (H’26) at the 37th Annual Conference of the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS 2025) in Bangkok, Thailand
(November 21, 2025) — School of Health student Keerthana Ramanathan (H’26) presented her team’s foundational cancer research at the 37th Annual Conference of the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS 2025) in Bangkok, Thailand, in October. The IPVS is the primary international research conference for human papillomavirus (HPV).
Ramanathan participated in research that focused on identifying drug combinations that can destroy cervical cancer cells. The work aims to establish the basic science necessary for developing a topical treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), a precancerous condition. Ramanathan conducted the research under the guidance of Richard Schlegel, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at the School of Medicine, and Hang Yuan, PhD, associate professor of pathology and director of the HPV biology program at the School of Medicine.
The proposed topical method seeks to be a less-invasive alternative to current standard treatments for CIN, which typically involve surgical excision via the LEEP procedure or freezing through cryotherapy. Developing a topical option could improve accessibility and reduce patient side effects.