Viruses are masters of breaking into cells. Understanding how they do it can offer insights that go far beyond infection. In this talk, Dr Chelsey Spriggs explores how DNA viruses hijack host machinery to get where they need to go, and what these mechanisms can teach us about cell biology, cancer, and therapeutic design. She will share recent findings from her lab on how oncogenic and oncolytic viruses traffic through cells, disassemble, and access the nucleus. The talk looks at how improving our understanding of viral entry can help inform better treatments, whether we're trying to stop a virus or make use of one.


Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
Dr Chelsey Spriggs is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, with joint appointments in Cell and Developmental Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, and the Life Sciences Institute. She earned her PhD in Microbiology from Northwestern University, where she studied the DNA damage response in human papillomavirus infection. Her lab now investigates how DNA viruses—both oncogenic and oncolytic—enter host cells and reach the nucleus, with the goal of improving antiviral and cancer therapies. Chelsey’s research combines molecular biology, virology, and cell biology to answer fundamental questions about host-pathogen interactions. She is also deeply committed to equity in science. As co-founder of the Black Microbiologists Association, she actively supports representation, mentorship, and community-building for underrepresented scientists in microbiology.