College of Medicine
Ma Lab
Led by Zhe Ma · Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
What we study
The Ma Lab studies how viruses like KSHV interact with the immune system to cause cancer. They focus on the cGAS-STING pathway and viral proteins to find new treatments.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Mice
- Cells in a dish
- Coding helps
- Projects
- 4
Current projects
A noncanonical STING-dependent IFN-I independent pathway against KSHV reactivation
Studies a STING-dependent immune pathway that works without type I interferon to block reactivation of KSHV, a cancer-causing virus.
Deciphering Human-KSHV Protein Interactions Driving Kaposi Sarcoma with AI Models
Uses AI models to predict how proteins from the virus KSHV interact with human proteins to drive Kaposi sarcoma.
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Project The Role of KSHV-encoded CGAS-STING inhibitors in lytic replication
The lab investigates how proteins made by Kaposi’s sarcoma‑associated herpesvirus may block the host cGAS‑STING immune pathway to help the virus replicate. The student will add or remove these viral proteins in relevant cell lines to see how they affect the pathway and virus growth.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 425
Evaluating the Effect of STING-Targeting KSHV MicroRNAs in Primary Effusion Lymphoma Cells
Researchers study how tiny viral RNAs block a cell’s immune sensor (STING) in a cancer caused by a herpes virus. The student used inhibitors to block those RNAs in patient‑derived cancer cells and measured how the cells grew and responded to a STING‑activating drug.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 159
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
How to reach out
Zhe Ma hasn't set up this page yet. Their UF Scholars profile lists their publications.