Herpesviruses are among the most common infections on the planet—quietly persisting in our bodies for decades. Yet beyond their biological intrigue, these viruses reveal something profound about how our social worlds shape health and aging. This talk will explore how chronic viral infections—like cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex—act as biological “archives” of our life experiences. Drawing on population research in social epidemiology, infectious disease, and immuno-epidemiology, Dr. Grace Noppert will show how persistent viruses illuminate the links between early-life environments, social inequality, and immune aging. Together, they reveal how our immune systems record the social conditions we live through—and what that means for understanding health and aging across the life course.