Cancer-causing viruses are masters of the long game. Rather than immediately attacking the body, they hide (sometimes for decades) before wreaking havoc. Understanding this waiting game is a core focus of the research being conducted by Associate Professor of Oral Biology Zsolt Toth, Ph.D.
In recognition of his significant contributions to oncology and virology, the University of Florida Research Foundation has named Toth a 2026 UFRF Professor.
“UFRF Professors represent the depth and breadth of research excellence at the University of Florida,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research. “Their work reflects sustained scholarly achievement, leadership within their disciplines, and a commitment to pursuing new knowledge that benefits society.”
He is one of only 33 faculty members selected from across the university this year, an honor reserved for those whose research is actively reshaping their respective fields.
“I am honored to be named a 2026 University of Florida Research Foundation Professor,” Toth said.
The Toth Lab focuses on the Kaposi’s sarcoma–associated herpesvirus, or KSHV, which Toth notes is “one of the seven known human cancer-causing viruses” and the primary cause of the most common oral cancer seen in patients with AIDS. The central mystery of KSHV is its “latency,” a dormant state where it remains largely invisible to the immune system.
Toth has built a defining portfolio of research investigating how the virus emerges from this dormant state. This includes a highly competitive four-year, $792,000 Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society awarded in 2019.
“Our work has uncovered multiple novel cellular factors and viral strategies that promote KSHV infection by shaping epigenetic regulation, cellular signaling pathways, and protein stability,” Toth explained.
Through recent 2025 NIH-funded collaborations with fellow Oral Biology Associate Professor Bernadett Papp, Ph.D., and other specialists, Toth’s work has expanded into two high-impact areas:
- Viral Imposters: Supported by the new NIH grant “Viral mechanism for engaging lytic cycle promoting host transcription factors,” his team is uncovering how KSHV proteins mimic normal human cellular proteins to “hijack” the body’s internal machinery, forcing host cells to support viral replication.
- The Microbiome Influence: Under the newly funded NIH project “Mechanisms sustaining lytic herpesviral infection in the oral cavity,” the lab is exploring how the mouth’s natural bacteria (the oral microbiome) might actually be working with the virus.
By mapping how the virus interacts with the immune system and the oral environment, Toth is working to identify specific moments where clinicians could intervene with new therapies to block transmission and stop cancer at the source.
“More recently, we have shown that environmental stressors, such as hypoxia and specific byproducts of oral bacteria, can profoundly influence infection outcomes, including viral replication and latency,” Toth said. “By defining the key drivers of KSHV infection across diverse physiological stress conditions, we aim to lay the foundation for innovative therapeutic strategies to prevent chronic infection and KSHV-associated cancers.”
The UFRF Professorship is a three-year honor providing an annual salary supplement and a $3,000 research grant. While the award recognizes Toth’s impressive track record of funding and publication, its true value lies in providing incentives for continued excellence and supporting the next generation of breakthroughs his lab is poised to make.