My reserach focuses on developing further understanding of the broad-spectrum antiviral Interferon Inducible TransMembrane (IFITM) proteins. In cell culture experiments IFITM proteins have been shown to inhibit a large array of human pathogens including influenza, ebola and dengue viruses, while in IFITM knockout mice, usually mild influenza infections become lethal. In humans, a genetic association has been drawn between IFITM3 and severe influenza infections. The IFITM proteins have been proposed to inhibit viral infection at the point of entry to the cell, however, the precise mechanism(s) of this inhibition remains unclear. We have been working towards better understanding basic cell biology aspects of the IFITM proteins, and developing a new model virus system (Semliki Forest virus) with which to work, so to better understand IFITM-mediated inhibition of viral entry to cells.