Kaposi Sarcoma Herpes Virus (KSHV) is a common virus that, like many herpes viruses, undergoes periods of latency and reactivation. During latency, the virus does not express disease-causing genes and reproduces in host cells. Reactivation is important because it causes the virus to express genes that can lead to illnesses and cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of latency and reactivation is significant for developing new virus treatments and modifying infected cells. PhD candidate Olga González and her team are investigating the proteins, nucleic acids, and DNA involved in viral reactivation, which could lead to discoveries treating diseases caused by oncoviruses like KSHV.

1. Delaine M. Zayas-Bazán Burgos RISE Program BIOL 3095
Seminar Reflection #1 by Olga González about: Herpesviral Reactivation: A Key Step for
Disease Development
Kaposi Sarcoma Herpes Virus is a member of the Herpes Virus Family, considered as a very
common family of viruses among us. KSHV, as well as many of the viruses composing its family, goes
through a state of latency. Latency is the period of time in which the virus will not express the genes that
could cause diseases. This state of latency is crucial, because it is when the virus reproduces and infects
healthy cells. Reactivation is another crucial moment, because, the virus expresses the genes that can cause
illnesses and, in the case of oncoviruses such as KSHV, cancer related symptoms. The importance of
understanding the mechanisms of latency and of reactivation is of extreme relevancy for the scientific
community. The Phd candidate Olga González and her team understand this importance. They are
investigating and studying the mechanisms of reactivation, the proteins, nucleic acids and DNA involved in
this crucial process of reactivation. These studies can lead to new discoveries in the treatment of all of the
diverse oncoviruses known. They can also lead to the development of molecular modifications of the cells
with the virus in latency. Similar studies may lead to the betterment of the people suffering from the
sicknesses related to these viruses.