Chapman University · PharmacologyTotonchy Lab
Jennifer E Totonchy · Orange, California
Research Focus
Dr. Jennifer E Totonchy's lab at Chapman University studies the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), which can cause serious health issues, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV. The lab explores how KSHV infects key immune cells in the tonsils, particularly focusing on plasma cells. By understanding early KSHV infection events, they aim to uncover new approaches to combat this virus and its associated diseases.
KSHVplasma cellsimmune responsetonsil infectionviral transmission
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate the role of plasma cell infection in KSHV establishment.
AIM 02Examine how the KSHV-encoded cytokine vIL-6 influences plasma cell biology.
AIM 03Define the role of IL-21 in KSHV dissemination and infection.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureex vivo infection modelsimmunohistochemistryflow cytometrymicroscopy
Output against the department
Publications62bottom 11% of dept.412th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations931bottom 3% of dept.446th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.