University of Rochester · BiochemistryMunger Immunology Lab
Joshua C Munger · Rochester, New York
Research Focus
Dr. Joshua C. Munger's lab studies how human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) interacts with the immune system and how cytokines can help protect against viral infections. The research focuses on understanding the balance between the immune response and viral evasion strategies, particularly investigating how metabolism can be altered to resist infection. The lab aims to uncover novel mechanisms that can be targeted for therapeutic interventions against HCMV, which is a significant cause of disease in immunocompromised patients and can lead to severe congenital disabilities.
HCMVcytokinesmetabolismviral infectionJUNBimmune responsetranscription factorsmetabolic reprogrammingantiviral strategies
Research Aims
5AIM 01Identify mechanisms through which anti-viral cytokines induce metabolic remodeling
AIM 02Determine how cytokine-induced metabolic activities limit HCMV infection
AIM 03Investigate how the HCMV UL26 protein blocks anti-viral responses
AIM 04Explore how JUNB restricts HCMV infection and activates inflammatory gene expression
AIM 05Elucidate the interaction between UL26 and JUNB in modulating inflammatory responses
Skills the Lab Values
CRISPRcell cultureWestern blotELISARNA sequencingimmunofluorescence microscopyflow cytometrygene expression analysisprotein purification
Output against the department
Publications96bottom 23% of dept.309th of 402
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.4kbottom 40% of dept.241st of 402
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.