Research in the Sumner lab aims to elucidate virus interactions with the host innate immune system, particularly how viruses are sensed by innate immune receptors and how viruses evade these processes.

We use large DNA viruses such as poxviruses (monkeypox virus, vaccinia virus, cowpox virus) and herpesviruses (human cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus), that dedicate a large proportion of their coding capacity to the expression of innate immune antagonists, as powerful tools for discovery.