My research seeks to explain a fundamental paradox in human disease: why common viral infections cause little harm in most individuals yet lead to life-threatening or chronic disease in others. We investigate the cell-intrinsic mechanisms of innate immunity that enable cells to detect viruses, limit infection, and resolve immune activation after the pathogen has been cleared. Our work has revealed that these fundamental pathways can determine the outcome of infection, shaping both antiviral defense and inflammatory pathology.