Zsolt Toth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Oral Biology
College of Dentistry
Viruses that persist in the human body for a lifetime present some of the greatest challenges in medicine, particularly when they are linked to cancer. Zsolt Toth’s research seeks to uncover how one such virus, Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), establishes lifelong infection and contributes to the development of cancer.
Toth investigates how KSHV enters the body, establishes long-term infection within host cells and later reactivates. These processes are central to both viral transmission and disease development. His laboratory studies the complex interactions between viral and host cellular factors that regulate infection over time, with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities that could be targeted to prevent infection or limit disease progression. By defining the molecular mechanisms that enable KSHV to establish lifelong infection, his research is laying the foundation for new strategies in prevention and treatment.
A defining aspect of Toth’s research is its focus on how the unique microenvironments of different tissues influence viral infection. His laboratory has shown that physiological conditions such as low oxygen levels can alter how cells respond to KSHV infection, promoting active viral replication following infection rather than the establishment of viral latency. These findings provide important insight into how tissue-specific stress conditions shape the outcome of KSHV infection that can influence long-term viral persistence and cancer development. His research has also demonstrated that oral bacteria can enhance KSHV replication in cells of the oral cavity, revealing how the oral microbiome influences viral load in saliva and, consequently, the transmission of KSHV between individuals.
Toth’s research bridges an important gap between traditional laboratory cell culture models and the complex biological environments in which viral infections occur. By studying KSHV in more physiologically relevant settings, his laboratory is providing a more accurate understanding of how KSHV infection is regulated in vivo.
As noted by his department chair, Toth has “made considerable and continued contributions” to understanding how KSHV infection is established and regulated while helping to address important translational challenges in the field. In addition to advancing scientific knowledge, Toth has mentored postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students and established collaborations with colleagues across the United States and around the world. He emphasizes that these accomplishments reflect a collective effort, saying, “My research would not have been possible without the support of the College of Dentistry, the Department of Oral Biology and the UF Health Cancer Institute, as well as the dedication and hard work of the members of my lab over the years.”
Through his research, Toth is advancing our understanding of how cancer-causing viruses persist and spread, laying the groundwork for new strategies to prevent virus-associated cancers and improve human health.