Over the past 20 years, Dr. Scott’s research has focused on understanding how Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) contributes to carcinogenesis through epigenetic mechanisms. With a broad background in molecular biology, biochemistry, virology, cancer, and genomics, Rona and her team work on elucidating the EBV-mediated epigenetic alterations to the host and viral genome and the functional outcomes of these epigenetic alterations. Their findings include: (1) the EBV-induced epigenetic alterations promote a basal cell, wound healing phenotype to infected cells; and (2) role of EBV in tumor progression, particularly in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. 

Dr. Scott also provides faculty oversight of the Research Core Facility Genomics Core is the Director of the Bioinformatics/Modeling Core in the Center of Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes, a member of the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, the Center for Excellence in Arthritis and Rheumatology, and the Center for Brain Health.