The Drayman lab studies the interaction of Herpes Simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) with the innate immune system of its human host. A key interest of our lab is the identification and mechanistic investigation of innate barriers for infection, particularly in keratinocytes – the primary physiological target of HSV-1 infection. Using a combination of fluorescent reporter viruses, microscopy, flow cytometry and RNA sequencing, we investigate the differential effect of type I and III interferons on infection, elucidate the role of individual interferon stimulated genes and pursue development of new antiviral therapies. We are also interested in identifying other, interferon-independent, barriers to infection and have uncovered a group of putative novel antiviral factors that are able to arrest infection after viral gene expression is underway.