Moriah Louise Szpara, Ph.D.Contact Information
Research InterestAs a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Lynn Enquist, I am studying how herpesviruses affect gene expression in host neurons, and in turn how the availability of neuronal cell machinery affects viral entry, transport, replication, and egress. This research combines genome-wide microarray expression analysis, comparative virology, primary neuronal cultures, and imaging to assess the inter-relationship of host proteins and the viral life cycle. In this image from our current study, thousands of genes that change significantly during PRV- and HSV-infection of cultured neurons are displayed. The expression of these genes is unchanged under mock infection or normal culture conditions. I am currently investigating the roles of these genes in neuronal response to infection and the viral replication cycle in these cells. 
Other ongoing projects: |
