معرفی
Mahmut Safak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University. He also holds an Associate Professor position at the Center For Neurovirology and Gene Editing and serves as an Assistant Professor in Cardiovascular Sciences at the same institution.
Dr. Safak's research focuses on understanding the transcriptional and replicational regulation of JC virus (JCV) by viral and cellular factors. His laboratory investigates how JCV, a human polyomavirus that asymptomatically infects most individuals early in life, can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in immunocompromised individuals. His work particularly centers on the functional analysis of two JCV regulatory proteins: agnoprotein and small t antigen (t-Ag) in JCV biology. His research has significant implications for understanding viral pathogenesis and oncogenesis.
Analysis of Dr. Safak's publication record shows a consistent focus on polyomavirus molecular biology, particularly JC virus. His research has evolved from basic characterization of viral proteins to more sophisticated investigations of protein-protein interactions, epigenetic regulation, and mitochondrial targeting. Recent publications demonstrate an increasing use of proteomics and structural biology approaches to understand viral protein functions. His work spans virology, molecular biology, and cell biology, with applications to neurovirology and cancer research.
Dr. Safak leads research at the Center For Neurovirology and Gene Editing, where his laboratory investigates the complex interactions between JC virus and host cellular machinery. His team employs various experimental model systems to study viral regulation and cell transformation mechanisms.
