Junko Nishitani

Junko Nishitani, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Her research spans multiple disciplines, including molecular biology, virology, and cancer biology.

• Primary Affiliation: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
• Academic Role: Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery

Research Interests: Dr. Nishitani focuses on the molecular mechanisms of viral oncogenesis (particularly HPV), gene regulation in cancer cells, and the role of transcription factors in disease progression. Her work includes studies on alcohol's impact on HIV infectivity and biomarker discovery for head and neck cancers.

Publication Trends: Her most cited work involves HPV-related cervical cancer mechanisms (66 citations) and Secretin gene regulation (56 citations). Research spans 1991–2011, with recent publications in health disparities and community-engaged research.

• Key Fields: Molecular Biology, Virology, Neoplasms, Cell Biology, Otolaryngology
• Notable Collaborators: Senait Teklehaimanot, Xiu Liu, and Alan B. Leiter

Methodological Focus: Utilizes in vitro models of oral keratinocytes, transcriptional profiling, and molecular genetics. Previous work includes bacterial gene regulation (Salmonella) and developmental biology (pancreatic islet cells).