Javier Gordon Ogembo Lab

Research Lab Overview

The Javier Gordon Ogembo Lab studies oncogenic viruses and develops innovative strategies to prevent and treat virus-associated diseases and cancers. Our research focuses primarily on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), two oncogenic gamma-herpesviruses that are associated with a broad spectrum of lymphomas, carcinomas and other malignancies worldwide.

We combine fundamental studies of viral biology, including viral entry, persistence, immune evasion and virus-host interactions, with translational research aimed at developing vaccines, immunotherapies and diagnostic tools. By understanding the mechanisms that enable these viruses to establish infection and contribute to disease, we seek to identify new opportunities for prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention.

Our multidisciplinary and collaborative approach spans basic discovery, preclinical research and translational development, with the goal of advancing impactful strategies against oncogenic viruses and the cancers they cause. The laboratory also contributes to cancer prevention and global oncology initiatives, including research focused on human papillomavirus (HPV) screening, early detection and prevention.

Our Research Programs

Our research is organized around four interconnected programs that span fundamental virology, translational science and cancer prevention. Together, these areas enable us to investigate how oncogenic viruses establish infection and drive disease and translate those discoveries into new approaches for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Vaccines and Translational Development

We develop prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine strategies against EBV and KSHV. Our work includes the design and characterization of multivalent vaccine candidates, evaluation of immune responses and advancement of promising candidates through preclinical and translational development. A major focus of this program is the development of multivalent vaccines using the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) platform, including our lead EBV prophylactic vaccine candidate, which is advancing toward clinical evaluation. In parallel, we continue to explore additional vaccine platforms and antigen-design strategies to broaden and enhance protective immunity against oncogenic gamma-herpesviruses.

Antibody-Based Immunotherapies and Structural Biology

We develop and characterize virus-specific monoclonal antibodies as tools to prevent infection and treat virus-associated diseases. Our studies focus on identifying potent neutralizing antibodies, defining the viral proteins and epitopes they recognize and understanding the mechanisms through which they block infection. By integrating immunology, structural biology and protein engineering, we aim to advance the development of improved antibody-based therapies and next-generation vaccine antigens.

Viral Biology and Pathogenesis

We investigate the fundamental mechanisms that enable EBV, KSHV and related gamma-herpesviruses to infect cells, establish persistent infections and evade host immune responses. Our research focuses on viral entry, glycoprotein function, virus-host interactions, immune evasion and pathogenesis. We also develop and apply experimental and preclinical models of gamma-herpesvirus infection to better understand these processes and to evaluate novel preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Diagnostics, Cancer Prevention and Global Oncology

We develop diagnostic tools for oncogenic viruses, with a current focus on improving serological approaches for detecting KSHV infection, including in asymptomatic individuals. Our global oncology research seeks to better understand virus-associated cancers across diverse populations and to identify opportunities for earlier detection, improved screening and prevention.

A major component of this work focuses on establishing and expanding HPV screening programs in regions with limited access to cervical cancer screening. Through these efforts, we aim to improve early detection, reduce cancer disparities and strengthen sustainable cancer prevention strategies.

Former Staff Scientists

Lorraine Z. Mutsvunguma, Ph.D.

Dr. Mutsvunguma earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Rhodes University in South Africa and joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2016. Her research focused on the development of prophylactic and immunotherapeutic strategies against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). She developed monoclonal antibodies against EBV and KSHV proteins for therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications. In 2021, she received a Young Investigator Pilot Award to support the isolation and characterization of KSHV-neutralizing antibodies.

Murali Bagalur Muniraju, Ph.D.

Dr. Muniraju earned his Ph.D. from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2017. His research focused on Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), particularly the viral genes and proteins involved in viral entry, immune evasion, and virus-host interactions. His work contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying KSHV infection and helped inform the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies against KSHV-associated diseases.

Former Postdoctoral Fellows

Webster Musonda, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.

Dr. Musonda is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon with additional training in public health and surgical science. He joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2022 to investigate the potential association between Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and osteosarcoma. His research combined his clinical expertise in bone disease with the laboratory's focus on oncogenic viruses, with the goal of improving the understanding, diagnosis, and management of bone cancers in regions where access to specialized care remains limited.

Lara Flacht, Ph.D.

Dr. Flacht earned her Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg in Germany, where she trained in structural biology and the characterization of complex protein assemblies. She joined the Ogembo Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Fellow and applied this expertise to the study of oncogenic herpesvirus glycoproteins and their structural properties.

Mafalda de Arrabida Farelo, Ph.D.

Dr. Farelo earned her Ph.D. from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, where she studied host-virus interactions in dengue and Zika virus infections. She joined the Ogembo Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where her research focused on structure-based Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine development, the evaluation of RNA-based vaccine platforms, and the development of a serological assay for Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Simeon Cua, Ph.D.

Dr. Cua earned his Ph.D. from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2020. With a background in cancer therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, vaccine development, and drug discovery, his research in the laboratory contributed to the development of prophylactic and immunotherapeutic strategies against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Preeti Sharma, Ph.D.

Dr. Sharma earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florence in Italy as a Marie Curie Fellow and joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2021 to pursue research in virology and vaccine development. Her work focused on understanding lymphocryptovirus entry into different cell types using preclinical models, with the goal of gaining insight into the early events of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and identifying biological mechanisms relevant to the development of effective preventive vaccines.

David Hughes Mulama, Ph.D.

Dr. Mulama earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from Maseno University in Kenya, with collaborative training at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and his M.S. in Immunology from Kenyatta University, with training at Cardiff University. His earlier research examined interactions between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Plasmodium falciparum in endemic Burkitt lymphoma. He joined the Ogembo Laboratory in 2018 as a St. Baldrick's International Scholar, where his research focused on developing prophylactic vaccines against Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Anne Barasa, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med.

Dr. Barasa trained in medicine and human pathology at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Her research has focused on the pathology of cancers associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). She joined Dr. Ogembo's research program in 2015 and contributed to the early development and immunological evaluation of KSHV vaccine candidates. Her training in the laboratory was supported through research fellowships from the Union for International Cancer Control and the American Cancer Society.

Joshua Akelo Nyagol, Ph.D.

Dr. Nyagol earned his Ph.D. in Quantitative and Molecular Diagnostic Pathology from the University of Siena in Italy and completed postdoctoral research training in the Ogembo Laboratory from 2016 to 2017. His research interests include the molecular and immunological mechanisms underlying Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)- and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-associated cancers, with a particular interest in the role of EBV in undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Ph.D. Graduates

Jonathan Calero-Landa, Ph.D.

Dr. Calero-Landa earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside, and completed his Ph.D. in the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope under the mentorship of Dr. Ogembo. His doctoral research focused on the development and characterization of novel neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), with the goal of identifying antibody-based strategies to prevent viral infection.

Previous Students

2024

• Matthew Thweatt, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Sonal Singh, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy

2023

• Dalmas Oyugi, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Rotation
• Erica Niewold, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Rotation

2021

• Victoria Erickson, City of Hope Summer Student Internship Program

2020

• Metztli Cisneros, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Rotation
• Ijeoma Nnadozie, KGI, M.S. in Translational Medicine

2019

• Claire Harelson, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Amy Zhou, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Victoria Erickson, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Juliet Gonzales, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Rotation

2018

• Pablo Martinez, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Pauline Kirabo, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Marion Santo, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Hernan Reza, Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Rotation

2017

• Riley Richmond, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Kierra Valdez-McClure, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy

2016

• Yash Pal Shah, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Benjamin Nittayo, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy
• Daniel Saeang, Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy

Federal and National Research Support

• National Institutes of Health
• National Cancer Institute
• Department of Defense

Foundations and Research Organizations

• American Society of Hematology
• St. Baldrick’s Foundation
• The V Foundation for Cancer Research
  •    STOP Cancer Foundation
• American Cancer Society
• AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource
• Union for International Cancer Control
• Wisconsin National Primate Research Center

City of Hope Institutional Support

• Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope
• City of Hope Excellence Awards
• City of Hope Pilot Project Awards
• City of Hope Investigational Drug Development Venture
• Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center
• Lymphoma SPORE Career Enhancement and Developmental Research Program
• City of Hope Shared Resources
• City of Hope Cancer Center Support Grant initiatives

Our Publications

To view more of Javier Gordon Ogembo's lab publications, please visit below: