Nina Korzeniewski Email: nmk10@pitt.edu Lab: DeLuca Lab The focus of our research is the role of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) immediate early proteins on the regulation of viral gene expression, most specifically, the roles of ICP4 and ICPO. We have previously shown that in the presence of ICPO, circularization of the HSV genome is inhibited and replication may proceed in a linear manner. In the absence of ICPO, the HSV genome is circularized, most likely through the activation of cellular double-stranded break repair proteins. My project involves determining the role of ICPO and its interaction with cellular proteins that affects the repression and activation of the HSV genome.