Jaroslav Zak

Jaroslav Zak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California, San Diego, with an adjunct role in Internal Medicine. His research spans cancer biology, immunology, and virology, focusing on molecular mechanisms in oncogenesis, immune modulation during infections, and rare genetic disorders.

• Primary Affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, UCSD
• Adjunct Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, UCSD

Education:

• DPhil, University of Oxford
• PhD, Scripps Research
• MSc, University of Cambridge
• BA, University of Cambridge

Research Interests: Jaroslav Zak investigates the role of ASPP proteins in cancer suppression, immune regulation in viral infections, and genetic causes of developmental disorders. His work includes drug discovery for reversing T-cell exhaustion and improving cancer immunotherapy through JAK inhibition.

Recent Publication Trends: His 2024-2023 studies highlight advances in SARS-CoV-2 treatment (PI3Kγ inhibition), Hodgkin lymphoma immunotherapy (JAK inhibitors), and rare disease genomics (structural variants in KMT2E). Earlier works focus on epithelial plasticity, viral persistence, and ASPP2 deficiency in developmental syndromes.

Labs & Collaborations: Zak collaborates with teams at UCSD, Scripps Research, and the University of Cambridge, working alongside researchers like John Teijaro and J. Michael Varner on projects spanning cancer, immunology, and rare diseases.