Kat Cosmopoulos, B. A., Biology,
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
Ph.D. Student in Immunology
E-mail: katherine.cosmopoulos@tufts.edu

EBV establishes a life long persistent infection in the host (>90% of all adults). Our laboratory has established that one site of persistence is circulating memory B cells where the virus becomes quiescent. However, recent evidence suggests that the virus replicates in mature plasma cells. One site where mature plasma cells preferentially migrate is the bone marrow raising the possibility that EBV infection also occurs at this location. We are currently investigating the role of the bone marrow as a second site of EBV persistence.