There is evidence that under certain conditions, viral and other infections play an integral role in carcinogenesis. These infections establish latency or are chronic; age and severity of infection are generally risk factors for malignancy. Understanding the natural history of such infections and identification of the risk factors for malignancy may provide insight for intervention strategies.
Dr. Mueller's major research has been on the role of age at infection with the Epstein -Barr virus (EBV) on the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Her group conducted research on the natural history of the first identified human retrovirus, HTLV- I, and hepatitis C virus in longitudial studies of endemic villages in southern Japan.
Curriculum Vitae