Early virus-host interactions involve the interplay of viral utilization of cellular proteins and functions with innate defense mechanisms. Our research aims to answer the following questions: What mechanisms and specific patterns lead to the recognition of viral infection? What does a virus do to evade this recognition? What cellular structures do viruses resemble? In which cells are viral infections actually detected - in the uninfected cells or in the infected cells? We are taking a closer look at the ongoing race between viruses and the immune system, with a special focus on extracellular vesicles (EVs). This new and very interdisciplinary field has led to many surprising discoveries in recent years and shows high potential for further scientific developments.