Adam Geballe

Dr. Adam Geballe is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Microbiology and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington. He is also a Member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where he leads research on host-virus interactions. Geballe earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.D. from Duke University, followed by postgraduate training in internal medicine and infectious diseases.

• Education: B.A. (Stanford), M.D. (Duke)

The Geballe Lab focuses on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and its mechanisms for evading host antiviral defenses, particularly the interferon-induced PKR pathway. Their work examines how HCMV proteins pTRS1 and pIRS1 block PKR activation through dsRNA binding, and they investigate evolutionary dynamics between PKR and viral proteins across primate CMVs. Additional studies explore poxvirus immune evasion strategies against dsRNA-activated pathways.

Recent research trends include neuronal gene expression manipulation by HCMV, vaccine development for congenital CMV, and mechanisms of translational buffering via upstream ORFs. The lab employs evolutionary analysis and molecular virology to uncover insights relevant to viral pathogenesis and vaccine design.