Viral persistence requires a long-term relationship between the host and the microbe that involves multiple layers of interactions from molecular to cellular to whole organisms. Our laboratory studies cellular and molecular aspects of virus-host interactions during acute versus chronic viral infections to determine general principles of viral immune-evasion, persistence and pathogenesis. The ultimate goal is to modulate or recover immune system functions to prevent or eradicate chronic viral infections. During the past years at UCSD, I have congregated a group of young scientists with diverse expertise and strong motivation to obtain solid answers for understanding immune responses during chronic viral infections, a topic of major biomedical relevance.