I am a professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University, where I also direct the Center for Retrovirus Research. I am the associate director for basic sciences at the OSUCCC – James and a member of the Leukemia and Hematologic Malignancies Program.

My research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of T-lymphocyte transformation, as well as the induction of leukemia/lymphoma and neurological diseases by the human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLVs). My lab investigates viral and cellular regulators of HTLV gene expression/replication, cellular transformation and virus survival or persistence in infected hosts.

Recent work has revealed the importance of a viral gene, termed Hbz, in the maintenance and proliferation of HTLV-1 infected cells. In fact, Hbz is the only viral gene consistently expressed in HTLV-1 associated adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma. Hbz and the cellular pathways it impacts will be important targets for treatment and prevention of HTLV-1-associated diseases.

I have authored or co-authored many articles in well-regarded publications, including Viruses, Journal of Virology, Blood, Retroviology and Cancer Cell.