Why does Karen from HR have herpes? And more importantly… why do so many of us?

In this gloriously inappropriate but scientifically rich episode, Helen and Dr C are joined by Matthew Murray, a virologist at the Danish Cancer Institute and the University of Copenhagen, to unpack the weird, persistent and often misunderstood world of herpes viruses.

From lifelong latent infections to immune system cat-and-mouse games, Matt helps us understand why herpes viruses are so incredibly successful, what they’re doing inside our cells, and why most of us are walking around with them whether we like it or not. Along the way, we confront stigma, myths, and the surprisingly mundane reality behind one of the most infamous viral families.

There may be jokes about HR departments. There will definitely be virology.

*Note: In this episode, genital warts are briefly mentioned in connection with herpes. To clarify, herpes causes genital sores, while genital warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In the crowded world of viruses, it's important to give credit where credit is due.

To get in contact with us at Talking of Science, email [email protected]

To get in contact with Dr Matt, email [email protected] or find him on Bluesky as MJMurray.

To see more about Matt's work, visit the lab's website at https://www.cancer.dk/danish-cancer-institute/research-groups/genome-maintenance-and-cancer-vulnerabilities/