Megan Horn Orzalli

Megan Horn Orzalli is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School, with secondary appointments in the Immunology and Microbiology Program and MD/PhD Program at the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Her primary role resides within the Division of Infectious Diseases of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine.

Her educational background includes:

• BS in Microbiology from the University of Washington, Seattle
• PhD in Virology from Harvard University, Cambridge

Dr. Orzalli's research centers on viral pathogenesis and host immune responses, particularly herpes simplex virus mechanisms and innate immunity. She investigates DNA sensing pathways (cGAS, IFI16), inflammasome activation, and viral evasion strategies, with significant contributions to understanding pyroptosis and cell death in barrier tissues. Her work bridges fundamental virology with clinical implications for infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Analysis of her publication trends reveals expanding focus on dermatological contexts since 2022, particularly psoriasis and skin immunity through studies of SLC46A2 transporters and methotrexate mechanisms, while maintaining core herpesvirus research on cGAS pathway inhibition and NLRP1 inflammasome regulation.

Dr. Orzalli conducts research within UMass Chan's Division of Infectious Diseases, collaborating across immunology, microbiology, and dermatology disciplines to investigate host-pathogen interactions at mucosal and epithelial barriers using advanced models including human skin explants and organoids.