Kristen Conn

Kristen Conn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on understanding how chromatin regulatory proteins mediate cellular antiviral defenses against herpesviruses. She earned a B.Sc. (Hon) in Biochemistry from the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta. During her postdoctoral training at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, she investigated SUMO proteins' roles in antiviral immunity.

Dr. Conn's lab studies the interplay between viral transcription and host chromatin dynamics, particularly how cellular factors like histones and SUMOylation pathways restrict viral replication. Her work uses herpesviruses as models to explore how viruses counteract transcriptional silencing mechanisms. Key research areas include PML nuclear bodies, histone variant mobilization, and epigenetic regulation during viral infection.

Her publications highlight contributions to understanding HSV-1's manipulation of chromatin, Epstein-Barr virus latency mechanisms, and the role of PIAS proteins in antiviral immunity. While no specific awards are listed, her work demonstrates sustained contributions to virology since 2008. Students interested in graduate studies are encouraged to contact her directly.