Dr. Shrestha’s current research focuses on understanding the pathogenesis of KSHV-associated B-cell proliferative disorders KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS) and KSHV multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) and the roles that paracrine and autocrine factors from KSHV-infected cells play in these diseases. Dr. Shrestha is also interested in identifying specific molecular targets that can be utilized for the development of therapeutics against KSHV and EBV-induced cancers. Dr. Shrestha and colleagues previously identified a cellular hypoxia responsive protein, HIF-1, as one such target. In collaboration with the clinical team at HAMB, she performed pre-clinical studies on a monoclonal anti-CD38 antibody therapy, daratumumab, and found that it could be useful in treating KSHV primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and KSHV-MCD. Currently, Dr. Shrestha is investigating the efficacy, anti-viral activity, and mechanism-of-action of newer and more potent immunomodulatory drugs to determine their potential use in KSHV and EBV-associated cancers, PEL and Burkitt lymphoma.